ENGG3006 Mars Habitat System Assignment Sample

• Subject Code : ENGG3006
• University : University of South Australia My Assignment Services is not sponsored or endorsed by this college or university.
• Subject Name : Engineering

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Introduction to Mars Habitat System

Research opens a way to find a better world to live always. Water is the most important matter to survive on Earth. But as we talk about a red planet Mars, many evidence shows similarities and proximities with Earth. This is the reason due to which Mars is a subject of great interest in astrobiology. There were no certain proofs of presence of water on the surface of Mars or life ever evolved on Mars. Therefore search for evidences of life in particular areas for water give the ray of hope of life existence on Mars. According to the Mars Global Surveyor, water may present in the particular and rare places like just below the surface of the planet. In 2001, Mars Odyssey suggested that water reservoirs are mapped on a global scale. Apart from the liquid form of water, solid form of water also exists on the Martian poles as ice and these areas can give the evidences of life. (NASA)

Aside from liquid water, one matter is also predominant for life that is energy. So the future mission is to find the energy sources other than the sunlight on the red planet Mars. Aspiration of the lookout for organic molecules which are formed through the breakdown of superoxides on which life is based, is also found on Mars. On Earth, some life forms are found in such places where sunlight cannot be found like inside rocks, in dark ocean depths and deep below the surface of Earth. It is found that chemical and geothermal energy are the main sources for tiny microbes on Earth. Some microbes are found on Martian surface which give the evidences of life on the planet.

Biosignature of Life

Carbon id considered as a building block of life which presents in every living organism. The place where carbon presents, life is also present there for sure. NASA is looking for some biosignature by searching the imprint of presence of carbon which would tell us that life might have developed on the planet. Martian atmosphere consists carbon dioxide, on the basis of this some minerals that is the by product of the reaction between water and the surrounding would give a clue about the presence of life on the planet and perhaps life has developed a long ago. (NASA)

According to the research record of past life can be found out by the fossils presents in the sedimentary rock. Base on the studies on the researches done on Earth, all know that fossils depositions can be possible only in certain environment. (Various, 2014)On Mars, searches are on the way of the places of similar kind of deposition which may prevent the imprints of evidences. According to the bio signatures of Earth we have learned to identify the signs of life. Life on the other planet might be very challenging and uncomfortable as there will be so many differences in living standards. Due to the variation in chemistry, composition and other characteristics makes it difficult. On the other planet life detection technologies will help to find the development of life.

The above image shows the difference in sizes of Earth and Mars. Difference between surface colour of these two planets depicts the composition formula of the planet that Earth’s 70% surface is covered with water and mars has bare rock and dust with lack of water. Red dots of Mars planet evidences the volcanoes. Previously astronomers considered that canal system was in crisscrossed way on Mars that allowed speculating the similarity between Mars and Earth. Owing of these similarities, life support can be considered on this planet. But further evidences that were shown by satellites, surveys and researches dissolved the vision of life as Mars has a lifeless world as it is very cold and dry planet.

Further researches change the view when scientists understood the facts about the history of Mars. They learned that it was not always the case that Mars may be a desiccated, lifeless and a cold planet. Recent researches show the similarities of Mars and Earth. Size, compositions, presence of water on the surface and inclination all are common that can make the life easy, yet the differences may make the life challenging. (Grtozinger, 2014)

Comparative Study of Different Parameters

How these parameters can be helpful to develop a life?

Temperature on Mars

Sunlight is the main source of energy and temperature. Because of the larger distance from the Sun effective temperature of the red planet has lower down so it is colder than Earth. As we compare the surface emission temperature, it is similar to the inland Antarctica. Due to the lack of greenhouse gases Martian atmosphere has the weaker greenhouse effect. There is very uneven distribution of temperature in atmosphere on the planet that temperature can exceed 100º in some regions due to the low thermal inertia. (Mckey, 1989) Owing of the absence of stratospheric ozone the temperature of the Martian atmosphere in the upper region is significantly lesser than the Earth’s atmosphere and at higher altitudes the radiative cooling effect of carbon dioxide.

Water

NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP), NASA and ESA missions, 2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), and Mars Phoenix lander provided the information about the presence of water at the surface of Mars. Water has the power of harbouring life as this the pillar resource of life on Earth. Most of the part of water present on the Martian surface is in the form of ice and some part is available as vapour. Recurrent slope lineaeis is low volume liquid brines in Martial soil may be grains that is a part of flowing sand. Researchers say that some liquid water can be found on the surface of Mars but there are no traces of dissolve moisture that makes the living a challenge on the red planet. Due to low atmospheric pressure there is no clue of water life like Earth. (Moser, 2019)

Sizes, Masses and Orbits

Earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system with the mean radius of 6371 km and a mass of 5.97×10²⁴ kg. While Mars has a radius of 3396 km that is approximately 0.6 times of Earth and mass is 10.7% of Earth. As the distances of both planets are different from Sun as shown in the table, there is huge difference in orbits too. The time taken for the planet to complete a single rotation on its axis that is called sidereal rotation is same for both planets approximately.

Structure and Composition

Earth and Mars both are terrestrial planets as both has composed with core, mantle and crust. Earth is denser than Mars because of lighter elements in the core of Martian surface. Inner and outer cores of earth are made up of iron and nickel while Martian core has 16% amount of sulphur in addition with iron and nickel. Core is surrounded by silicate mantle of both planets both Mars has thinner mantle in compare to earth. Earth’s crust is rich in iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium and aluminium. Mars’s crust is three times thicker than the Earth’s surface. (Gritzinger, 2014)

Surface Features

Matters are emerging as a case of contrast in subject to Earth and Mars as there are so many differences between them. While comparing Blue planet to Red planet, many life variations are there which are obvious. The blue colour of earth is mainly due to water present on the surface of Earth which is 70% of the total earth’s surface; specifically it is 361.132 million km². Martian surface is full of dust and it is very that is a proof of iron oxide. Planum Boreum and Planum Australe are the massive polar ice caps that contains massive amount of water in form of ice and additionally some ice water also presents beneath the surface of planet. According to the information of Radar system and soil samples, some amount of water exits on the middle latitudes shallow surfaces. Apart from all these, abrupt volcanoes, gorges, highlands, trenches and plains under the sea are also beautifully exist on the surface Earth. Martian surface also includes mountain stages, plains, sands and mountain features.

Magnetic Fields

Earth’s magnetosphere protects the ozone layer which might be stripped away by the wind’s charge particles and deflected the dangerous radiation of Sun. In magnetic term also, Earth and Mars contradict to each other. In case of Mars, the dynamo impact is created that generates the current which might be the source of magnetic field it can be due to the relative rotation of Earth’s internal core. Magnetic field is the area of huge importance for both planets’ environment. According to the measurements of Mars international Surveyor, Mars has weak magnetic fields in various regions that can be residues of magnetosphere. The uneven distribution of magnetic field is such that: it is maximum 1500 nT which is less than Earth. Based on NASA’s theory upon Martian atmosphere, Mars lost its magnetosphere when it had cooled down some billion years ago. In addition solar wind also stripped away the particles from the Martian surface due to which environment became cold and desiccated.

Satellites

Both planets have their own natural satellites. Moon is the only and natural satellite of Earth which is the source of tides on surface. Moon is the largest satellite in the whole solar system that is natural. There is an only vacuum present on the Moon. The Moon varies rotates in the same rotation to Earth. Moon’s sidereal rotation is about 27.32 days. In case of Mars, Phobos and Deimos are two natural satellites of Mars which are called moons of Mars. Phobos takes 7 hours to complete the orbit which is below synchronous altitude. Deimos has longer orbital period than the phobos, it takes 1.2 days to accomplish the orbit rotation. Both satellites captured near the equator. (Gaidos, 2007)

Conclusion on Mars Habitat System

It is challenging to make a comfortable habitat on the other planes but due to the similarities and evidences of life and other parameters on Martian surface, technologies can help to develop a sourceful life on Mars. Fobos-Grunt,Mars Orbiter Mission, MAVEN, InSight, MarCO are some name of the missions that would develop a life on Martian surface. A dream comes true!!!

References for Mars Habitat System

Program & mission be NASA https://mars.nasa.gov/programmissions/science/goal1/

McKay, Christopher P.; Stoker, Carol R. (1989). "The early environment and its evolution on Mars: Implication for life". Reviews of Geophysics (Submitted manuscript). 27 (2): 189–214. Bibcode:1989RvGeo..27..189M. doi:10.1029/RG027i002p00189.

Gaidos, Eric; Selsis, Franck (2007). "From Protoplanets to Protolife: The Emergence and Maintenance of Life". Protostars and Planets V: 929–44. arXiv:astro-ph/0602008. Bibcode:2007prpl.conf..929G.

Moser, D. E.; Arcuri, G. A.; Reinhard, D. A.; White, L. F.; Darling, J. R.; Barker, I. R.; Larson, D. J.; Irving, A. J.; McCubbin, F. M.; Tait, K. T.; Roszjar, J.; Wittmann, A.; Davis, C. (2019). "Decline of giant impacts on Mars by 4.48 billion years ago and an early opportunity for habitability". Nature Geoscience. 12 (7): 522–527. Bibcode:2019NatGe..12..522M. doi:10.1038/s41561-019-0380-0.

Grotzinger, John P. (January 24, 2014). "Introduction to Special Issue - Habitability, Taphonomy, and the Search for Organic Carbon on Mars". Science. 343 (6169): 386–387. Bibcode:2014Sci...343..386G. doi:10.1126/science.1249944. PMID 24458635.

Various (January 24, 2014). "Special Issue - Table of Contents - Exploring Martian Habitability". Science. 343 (6169): 345–452. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014.

Various (January 24, 2014). "Special Collection - Curiosity - Exploring Martian Habitability". Science. Archived from the original on January 28, 2014.

Grotzinger, J. P.; Sumner, D. Y.; Kah, L. C.; Stack, K.; Gupta, S.; Edgar, L.; Rubin, D.; Lewis, K.; Schieber, J.; et al. (January 24, 2014). "A Habitable Fluvio-Lacustrine Environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars". Science. 343 (6169): 1242777. Bibcode:2014Sci...343A.386G. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.455.3973. doi:10.1126/science.1242777. PMID 24324272.

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