Yes, NASA has discovered an underground lake on Mars. It has confirmed that there is water on Mars, and the air on Mars also contains oxygen, but this does not mean that humans can survive on Mars. .

On July 25, 2018, great news came from Mars. Scientists discovered a liquid water lake with a diameter of about 20 kilometers 1.5 kilometers under the Mars Antarctic ice cap. Water has finally been discovered on Mars, exciting scientists. Perhaps we humans will be able to go to Mars in the near future and taste the water on Mars.

Illustration: The ice cap at the South Pole of Mars

Wait, it seems that things are not that simple. The average temperature on Mars is as low as minus 63°C. With such cold temperatures, why doesn't this water freeze? Scientists point out that the water is salty and cannot be drank directly. This underground lake on Mars contains large amounts of calcium, magnesium and other materials from Martian rocks, lowering the freezing point of water. This water must be so salty for it not to freeze at such cold temperatures. Anyway, the sea water on the earth is not drinkable directly.

Then there is the water hidden at a depth of 1.5 kilometers below the surface of Mars. This depth is not shallow. If humans want to drink this water, they must dig a well 1,500 meters deep. On Earth, we can easily drill to a depth of 1,500 meters and drink this water. But if humans land on Mars for the first time, they can’t bring drilling equipment with them. When humans first arrived on Mars, it was very difficult to use this water.

Illustration: Mars Underground Lake

As for oxygen on Mars, don’t take it seriously, it’s the same as having it or not. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin, less than 1% of the density of the atmosphere, and the main component of the atmosphere of Mars is carbon dioxide, the waste gas we usually breathe out. Oxygen makes up only 0.15% of the Martian atmosphere. In places on Earth with an altitude of more than 5,000 meters, the oxygen content is about 40% of that at sea level, making it very difficult for humans to breathe. The oxygen content on Mars is only 0.15%. What is the difference between this and none?

Illustration: Future Mars Base

Coupled with the cold and strong harmful radiation on Mars, Mars is still far from being suitable for human habitation. Therefore, when humans first land on Mars, they still need to bring sufficient supplies from the earth to achieve self-sufficiency.

However, NASA has released news that it plans to land humans on Mars in 2034. There are still 15 years to go, and I hope we can see this feat in human history by then.

Although NASA has determined that there is water on Mars, there are also slight changes in oxygen content. But NASA would never dare to conclude: "This creates favorable conditions for humans to land on Mars"!

The reason why I say this may be that it is still "a little bit" behind in all aspects.

The magnetic field may be just "a little bit" off. The magnetic field strength of Mars is on average 1‰~2‰ that of the Earth's magnetic field. Recent detections have confirmed that Mars does not have a global dipole magnetic field, but there are numerous local dipole magnetic fields. Therefore, Mars is a planet with a multipolar magnetic field composed of many local magnetic fields. This is something we Earthlings cannot understand. This means that even if you have a compass in your hand, you can't tell the difference between south, south, north and south on Mars. Because the disappearance of Mars' magnetic field has brought huge trouble to Mars. Simply put, Mars' magnetic field determines whether Mars becomes the vibrant Earth it is today or the dead star it is today. Unfortunately, what we see is the latter.

The density of the atmosphere on Mars is only equivalent to 1% of the density of the Earth's atmosphere, and there is only a thin layer. This seems to be "a little bit" off! When we walk on the surface of Mars, we may be fatally struck by cosmic rays shot from the depths of the universe anytime and anywhere. Or being hit on the head by a small meteorite floating in space, or even space junk... This is a strange thing that people on earth have never experienced, but it is an extremely common thing on Mars. Of course, all this is because the Martian atmosphere is too thin to protect any life on it (if there is life, it may have already penetrated deep into the strata). Carbon dioxide accounts for 95.3% of the Martian atmosphere.

Calculated in terms of proportions on Earth, the concentration of carbon dioxide is not much different from that on Earth. If the temperature and lighting are suitable, we can directly use the carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere in the greenhouse to cultivate green plants and generate oxygen.

Then there is water on Mars. I am afraid that it has become an extremely precious resource just because it is so "a little bit". The temperature difference between day and night on Mars can reach 160 degrees Celsius. Moreover, storms with speeds of 400 kilometers per hour often blow from the poles on the surface. If there are really Martians on Mars, they probably haven't seen what water looks like in liquid form for a long time. Water on Mars appears more in the form of ice fog and solids, and can only be measured during the day. At night, it will settle back to the ground at the poles. Not only water but also carbon dioxide will be frozen into dry ice during the polar night and fall to the polar surface.

As long as the magnetic field of Mars does not recover, all the natural changes occurring on Mars will not indicate that the Martian environment will develop in a direction conducive to human habitability.

Looking at the solar system, Mars can be said to be the planet closest to the Earth. The environment of Mars is relatively similar to the Earth.

Perhaps because of this, people’s exploration of Mars has become increasingly intensive in recent years. The United States launched a Mars probe more than 40 years ago. In the next few years, the United States also plans to send astronauts to Mars. The United States has publicly stated that it will send astronauts to Mars around 2030, although I do not doubt that the United States will send astronauts to Mars. Space capabilities, but I think this time should be delayed. There are many difficulties that need to be overcome to land on Mars.

The distance between Mars and the Earth changes all the time. The closest distance between the two was 55 million kilometers, and even at this distance, it will take at least 6 months from the launch of the probe to the landing of the probe on Mars. time. In 2018, Mars and the Earth were closest to each other, and this cycle is about 15 years. The next time will be 2033, and the next time will be 2048. If the United States decides to send astronauts to Mars in 2033 , then the time left for the United States is only about 10 years.

What are the difficulties that need to be overcome to land on Mars? The first point is the technical issue. Although the United States has sent astronauts to the moon, landing on Mars is not the same as landing on the moon. You must know that the distance between the moon and the earth is only 380,000 kilometers, and even one percent of the closest distance between Mars and the earth is No, so this means that the spacecraft must carry enough fuel to ensure a flight of at least a year, because the return also requires fuel. In addition to carrying enough fuel, it is also necessary to ensure that it carries enough food for the astronauts.

I will rephrase this question so that everyone can quickly understand the truth. Now that the location of the bank is clear and the safe removal technology is mastered, how many steps are there before we can spend the money in the bank casually? ——That’s the distance from us to landing on Mars!

Mankind landed on the moon in 1969. As the saying goes, "One small step for me, one giant leap for mankind," it is still awe-inspiring to this day.

Compared with the boundless desolation of the moon, there is no hair; Mars, under the turns of human exploration, continues to have major good news - a planet with a diameter of about 20 kilometers was discovered 1.5 kilometers under the Mars Antarctic ice cap. Kilometers of liquid water lakes - water is not a problem; the density of the Martian atmosphere is about 1% of that of the Earth. Although the main component of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide, oxygen accounts for 0.15% of the Martian atmosphere - oxygen is actually there!

Attracted by such gratifying conditions, why do humans still hesitate to move forward? Do we still need Martians to line up to greet us?

No, the answer is just two words - no money!

Let’s take the Curiosity rover, which was launched in 2011 and landed on Mars in 2012, as an example. The project cost 2.5 billion US dollars. Well, it looks so-so, I should tighten my belt a bit, the money is enough.

The annual budget of NASA in the United States was approximately US$19.4 billion in 2017, and exceeded US$20 billion in 2019. In recent years, it has been hovering between US$20 billion. At first glance, it seems that it can be dealt with. Is this really the case?

Comparing manned landing on Mars with launching a probe to Mars, the difficulty is like sending a courier from Guangzhou to Beijing, which costs 25 yuan; and then you walk there without supplies on the way. Take a trip to Beijing and calculate the difference.

The purpose sounds similar, but in fact the difficulty and cost are definitely not of the same order of magnitude.

A round trip to Mars takes about 2 years. Once it carries people, it will be completely different. According to NASA's budget report, the cost of manned landing on Mars is between US$100 billion and US$450 billion, and the survival rate of astronauts is not guaranteed.

For the United States, manned landing on Mars is like China installing a large particle collider. Decades of money will have to be burned in one fell swoop.

Don’t look at Trump talking about driving a train now, but when he waits for the budget to be approved, you can see his collapsed face.

In the final analysis, it is more appropriate that humans are a race seeking death. There is no urgent reason for humans to land on Mars. The U.S. military spending budget has reached $716 billion this year! It can guarantee 2-3 more trips to Mars!

Unless there is a major existential crisis for humankind, and everyone puts aside their prejudices, unites the world, and stops the arms race, the money to go to Mars will be enough.

If we really save all military expenses and let us go to Mars, why do we feel that this idea is really too Martian!

I am Mr. Cat, thank you for reading.

This is the line between Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan in the sketch "Nagging". It is Song Dandan's answer to Zhao Benshan's brain teaser question, asking: How many steps does it take to put an elephant into a refrigerator? Song Dandan's answer is wonderful, and he can answer complex questions simply.

Some questions are better if they are simple. For nonsensical questions such as "Put the elephant into the refrigerator, how many steps per step", you can choke back immediately, and it is also logical. . But for some complex scientific issues, we can try to explain them in a popular way, but not simply.

The United States has sent more than a dozen unmanned probes up there, with a high success rate, and has also sent 5 or 6 Mars rovers. Some of them have been fighting on Mars from north to south for more than ten years, and they are still working tirelessly. Exploring. In other countries and regions, only India has succeeded once, and the European Space Agency has been jealous once; the former Soviet Union and Russia have failed more than a dozen launches, and other countries have not even touched Mars.

In such a state, how can we talk about how many steps we can take to get to Mars? In addition to the United States, other major space powers still need to take several steps to launch unmanned probes to Mars.

Mars is moving, and the earth is also moving, so the accuracy of this kind of navigation is more accurate than using a rifle to focus on a bullseye hundreds of kilometers away.

The InSight Mars probe launched by NASA last year flew in space for 6 months and 21 days, with a flight distance of more than 480 million kilometers. It only took 7 minutes to reach Mars, entering the atmosphere 19,800 times. kilometers per hour, dropped to 8 kilometers per hour, and accurately landed at the preset location near the equator of Mars.

This requires very advanced navigation control technology and experience. Currently, only NASA can achieve such skillful control.

It has been confirmed that there is water on Mars, but only solid frozen water, mainly distributed underground in the polar regions; the atmosphere of Mars is thin, only 1% of the Earth’s density, and is mainly carbon dioxide, accounting for 95.7% of the total. %, in addition to 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and only 0.15% oxygen, which is only 1/14000 of the amount of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere; the surface pressure is 7 millibars, which is only 1/142 of the Earth's surface pressure; the temperature difference on Mars 160 degrees (Celsius, the same below), the highest temperature is 27 degrees at the equator in summer, and the lowest temperature is -133 degrees in winter.

Judging from the above environment, if humans want to operate on Mars, they must have strict and high-quality equipment, such as sealed oxygen-supply bases and space suits, just like activities on the moon. But one thing is that although the atmosphere is worse than that of the earth, it is better than nothing and much better than the moon.

In this way, when humans implement the Mars transformation plan, they can create breathable air for humans by extracting the pitiful oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, and through technical measures such as creating greenhouse gases or creating asteroid impacts. , melting the frozen water underground is much more cost-effective than bringing oxygen and water from the earth.

The first level is to send astronauts to explore Mars. NASA already has a plan, which is divided into two steps. The first step is to return to the moon around 2020, conduct technical training on the moon, establish a base, and provide space for spacecraft. The second step is to send people to Mars around 2033.

The second level is the Mars transformation plan, which was also formulated by NASA and has now begun to be implemented. Sending people to Mars around 2033 is the first step.

Then after many inspections, a base was established on Mars, and then a large-scale chemical plant was built to produce greenhouse gases powered by nuclear energy, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere day and night (including asteroid impacts and mirror-reflected sunlight). and other methods to heat Mars), so that Mars will gradually reach a temperature that can melt the frozen water underground on Mars and form an ocean on Mars; then, plant seeds that have been genetically modified and adapted to Mars planting will be sprinkled on Mars. Most of the workload during this period will be completed by artificial intelligence, that is, robots.

Through millions of years of ecologically transforming the atmosphere of Mars, Mars was also managed to generate a magnetic field, ultimately building Mars into a livable planet with rippling blue waves and a pleasant environment.

There are many steps in this. It is a project for human beings to move mountains for their descendants. I will not introduce them one by one here. Those who are interested can read related articles previously published by Space-Time Communication.

After the transformation of Mars is completed, humans will flee the increasingly uninhabitable Earth on a large scale and immigrate to Mars.

Although NASA has determined that there is water and oxygen on Mars, which is a better environment than the moon, landing on Mars is not the same as landing on the moon. On the contrary, it is more difficult than landing on the moon.

Mars base plan

The first thing to consider is the distance to Mars. Everyone knows that the distance between us humans and the moon is 380,000 kilometers. The Apollo missions 50 years ago successfully sent 12 American astronauts to the moon six times. Each mission was completed within two or three days. Mars is 150 times farther from the Earth than the Moon, and orbits the sun at a different speed than the Earth. Only when Mars reaches a specific orbit can the best launch time window be available. This launch window opens every few years, so timing is critical. Moreover, it would take months, even a year, to reach Mars safely one way. It is estimated that the total time for NASA's manned exploration of Mars this time is about three years.

Secondly, there are the necessary items for spacecraft and astronauts. The atmospheric environment and geographical environment of Mars are also very important to the spacecraft requirements. The probability of a human probe successfully landing on Mars is lower than that of landing on the moon. How to land on Mars safely and stably requires the analysis of data obtained from continuous research on Mars over the years to improve spacecraft technology.

In addition, the time span to and from Mars is very long. How to solve the necessities of life for astronauts - water, food, and oxygen? If water and oxygen on Mars can be used, how to solve the problem of astronauts' daily necessities? Food on Mars is the condition that allows humans to continue to survive on Mars. There are also space radiation and space debris that threaten the lives of astronauts at all times, and the durability of space suits must be solved.

The last and most important thing is the physical health of the astronauts. Russia and the United States have gradually fixed the working time of astronauts on the International Space Station to six months, and some astronauts also work on the space station for one year. As astronauts spend more time in space, physiological testing increases.

Research on the impact of various factors such as weightlessness, isolation, restricted closed environment, space radiation, distance from the earth, etc. on human health shows that these will seriously affect the human heart and internal circulation. , body fluids, bones, muscles and psychological aspects. Once astronauts arrive on Mars, it will take two or three years. According to some news from NASA, some astronauts have already undergone Mars simulation training and are waiting to participate in Mars missions at any time.

Landing on Mars

In short, before sending humans to Mars, we must ensure that all aspects of human plans can deal with unknown dangers to ensure that we can return safely after the journey to Mars. to our blue earth.

Mars

I think it is still quite far away.

In fact, NASA has recently made very good exploration discoveries on Mars, such as: there is liquid water under the ice caps of the Antarctic and Antarctic.

Secondly, it was discovered that there are opportunities on the surface of Mars, and that there is a small amount of oxygen in the Martian atmosphere.

It seems that everything is ready, all that is left is for humans to immigrate. But in fact, this is still far from being habitable by humans.

So why do you say that?

First of all, although there is oxygen on Mars, this amount of oxygen is actually equivalent to no oxygen for humans. This is because the oxygen content must reach a more suitable range to be suitable for our human respiratory system. If there is too little or too much oxygen, it will pose a great threat to human survival.

Secondly, Mars’ atmosphere is extremely thin, so there is no way to retain heat. Near the equator of Mars, the temperature can reach 20°C during the day and suddenly drops to about -80°C at night, with a temperature difference of about 100°C. Therefore, the temperature difference between day and night is extremely large, which is also insurmountable.

And because there is no ozone layer, it cannot resist ultraviolet rays. This ultraviolet ray is also very harmful to the human body.

Then, liquid water was discovered, but this little water was honestly not enough to fit between teeth, let alone support life activities.

Finally, there is another scary thing, that is, Mars is basically cold and has no geomagnetism. This means that if the sun blows a solar wind, all life on Mars will suffer. The reason why the earth is suitable Human habitation depends on having a strong geomagnetic force that can withstand the solar wind.

NASA has confirmed that there is water on Mars, and now there is even oxygen. How many steps are people still away from landing on Mars?

Is there water on Mars? This is no longer a secret. Mars has always had water, but it is just solid frozen water. A large amount of water is frozen in the ice caps at the poles and in impact craters in mid- and high-latitudes! Of course, the liquid saltwater lake underground on Mars is indeed news. After all, liquid water has never been found on the surface of Mars!

The polar cap of Mars. Can you tell whether this is the polar cap of the South Pole of Mars or the polar cap of the North Pole?

Schematic diagram of the location and stratigraphy of the underground liquid salt water lake near the South Pole of Mars!

So where is the oxygen on Mars? Mars only has a carbon dioxide atmosphere of 1% of Earth's atmospheric pressure. Where does the oxygen come from?

In fact, as long as there is water, oxygen on Mars is not a problem. Although the solar energy obtained in the equatorial region of Mars is only about half that of the Earth, about 700W/square meter, as long as there are solar cells with sufficient area, electrolysis of water can Obtaining oxygen is a very easy thing, so whether there is oxygen in the atmosphere is not the key to humans colonizing Mars! So what are the conditions?

The Millennium Plan to transform Mars, but at least now, we dare not pursue such a plan. After all, humans still have self-knowledge!

But the small-scale settlement in the picture above is achievable, it just requires a little effort! Can humans reach this level of technology now? It may be a bit difficult! After all, there are not many building materials on the surface of Mars that can be obtained locally. Most of them need to be transported from the earth to Mars, so there are several hurdles that cannot be overcome:

1. High-thrust rockets

3. An engine suitable for rapid travel to and from Mars

Why are high-thrust rockets and engines for rapid travel to and from Mars separately explained? Because the rocket is only responsible for transporting the spacecraft to low-Earth orbit, the rest can only be relayed by the space engine. Therefore, an efficient and high-thrust engine is very important. Otherwise, a round trip to Mars will take several years, and the construction cost and cycle will be too high. long! Of course, this is just transportation technology, there are other technologies that need to be guaranteed!

1. Ecological technology in a closed environment, such as the experience of Biosphere 1 and 2, although unsuccessful, the failure itself is also an experience

2. The human body undergoes a long-term Control of psychological and physiological conditions during space navigation

3. Telemedicine technology has improved. After all, in the future, only the support of team doctors will be available

4. Mars soil improvement, it is said that the surface of Mars The soil contains harmful substances and is not suitable for planting, so the soil quality must be improved, otherwise the plants may not survive!

......

From a technical perspective, landing on Mars is not difficult to achieve. The rocket in the picture above can not do it even once, but twice Assembled in orbit, it is absolutely possible to complete the plan of manned landing on Mars! But if you want to establish a permanent base on Mars, it will not be that easy. It is foreseeable that manned landing on Mars can be achieved within 50 years, but the base may not be established within 100 years!

Mars was once thought to have aliens, but several rounds of exploration by scientists found that there was no life on it. Although scientists are still full of hope for the exploration of Mars, and have even discovered water and a small amount of oxygen, this does not mean that there is life on Mars, or that humans can survive on Mars.

Although Mars is a neighbor of the earth, the distance between earth and fire is still a bit far, at least for us humans, it is an astronomical distance. The closest distance between earth and fire is more than 55 million kilometers, and even light takes more than 3 minutes to travel such a long distance. If it were a human spacecraft, it would be normal for it to fly for half a year. The only planet that humans have landed on so far is the moon. Landing on Mars from such a long distance is a huge challenge for humans. Even Prandtl dared not say that the United States could once again land a manned man on the moon without any injuries, let alone land on Mars, which is many times farther away than the moon. At least for humans at present, the technology for landing on Mars is not yet mature.

In addition, another reason why it is difficult to land on Mars is that Mars has an atmosphere. The moon has almost no atmosphere, so the rover will not heat up when landing on the moon.

But landing on Mars is different. When the lander flies at high speed, it will have severe friction with the Martian atmosphere. If you are not careful, the vehicle may be destroyed and people killed. Many countries, including our country, have never attempted to launch an unmanned Mars lander. Furthermore, even if we land on Mars, how to establish a Mars base is still a big problem. Because the environment on Mars is simply not enough to support the survival of creatures like humans.

So, humans are still far from landing on Mars.

To be sure, there is still a lot to be desired, a lot!

There is indeed water on Mars, and it is liquid water, under the two levels of ice caps on Mars. But saying it has oxygen is a bit loose. There is almost no atmosphere on Mars. The air is very, very thin. Of course, it is impossible not to have a single oxygen molecule. But can you say that such an environment has oxygen? We generally say that there is no oxygen on Mars, just like saying that space is a vacuum environment. In fact, it is not really a vacuum!

Moreover, even with water and oxygen, it is still far from landing on Mars. For current humans, having water and oxygen is not the most important thing. Even if they land on Mars, it is impossible to use the water on Mars, let alone the very, very small amount of oxygen on Mars!

To put it bluntly, humans must prepare their own water and oxygen!

After humans explore Mars more deeply, such as preparing to live on Mars for a long time, or even settle on Mars, the water and oxygen resources on Mars will become particularly important, especially water! Because oxygen is relatively easier to produce, and water is a more precious resource!

Therefore, having water on Mars is good news for humans, but the current stage does not have much impact or help on human exploration of Mars, because humans are far from the technology to utilize water on Mars. , the existence of water is at most the driving force for human exploration of Mars!