Colonizing Space, Issue 5: Colonizing the Moon, Mars, or The Other Planets Is Impossible

Artist’s impression of a moon base being supplied by a SpaceX-style rocket. It’s got a nice view of Earth and sky, but just imagine growing up in such a place, where that monochromatic landscape will be your only view for all your life. (Inverse)

The Chinese are gearing up to establish a long-term inhabited research station near the south pole of the Moon. Elon Musk claims he’s going to lead the way to colonize Mars and “make humanity a multi-planetary species”.

These are pipe dreams, exercises in futile hubris for several reasons. Sure, China’s plans for a research station are viable, and Musk’s intention to send a crew to Mars is probably doable, but actual colonization? That’s not going to happen, not ever. Let’s go down the list of why colonizing either the Moon or Mars will forever remain in the realm of science fiction.

Earth’s magnetosphere. Without it, Earth would be as dead as Mars. (The Planetary Society)

A Strong Magnetosphere Is Required

First and foremost, in order for any planet to be considered for colonization, it must have a strong magnetosphere:

Generated by powerful, dynamic forces at the center of our world, our magnetosphere shields us from erosion of our atmosphere by the solar wind (charged particles our Sun continually spews at us), erosion and particle radiation from coronal mass ejections (massive clouds of energetic and magnetized…