The experts concluded that the creation of an autonomous colony on Mars is impossible in the foreseeable, and possibly in the distant future. The reason for this will be socio-economic contradictions.
Recently, the American entrepreneur Elon Musk presented his concept of the Interplanetary Transport System. As part of it, it is proposed to create a ship that can transport up to a hundred colonists to the Red Planet. But this is only the beginning: in the future, the head of SpaceX hopes to relocate a million of Earth's inhabitants to Mars and create a settlement there that will not depend on the home planet. This step is seen by his ideological inspirers almost as the only salvation of civilization from the earthly problems that await it. Among them are wars, natural disasters, extremism, etc.
Now the editors of the journal Nature - one of the most authoritative general scientific journals - have recognized the plans to colonize Mars as unviable. To be more precise, we are talking about the impossibility of creating a single Martian colony, independent of the Earth. The reason for this is simple - money. Only rich countries and powerful corporations can provide an expedition to Mars. But they won't do it just like that. From the colonists, according to the editors of Nature, sponsors will demand their exclusive participation in the exploitation of the natural resources of the Red Planet. So the "Martians" will be completely dependent on their sponsors, and so it will be with every expedition. The colonists themselves will not be able to build bases and create life support systems.
Gradually, the distant planet will be divided into spheres of influence, and the "Martian" policy will become part of the "showdown" on Earth. The same goes for possible lunar colonies. In general, in Nature, settlements independent of the Earth are considered dreams, not reality.
In addition to Elon Musk, ideas for the generation of Mars are hatched by the Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp with his project Mars One. However, experts consider the latter a utopia due to financial and technical insolvency.
Ilya Vedmedenko