Marie Brouillette April 29, 2011

Mr. Carlson- Geometry Period 1

Preparing for Mars

Preparing to travel to Mars and sustain human life there is a complicated idea, and must

be thoroughly thought out. Everything we have learned to do on Earth must be relearned to do in

space. Nothing is the same in the two different worlds, and reading Mary Roach’s Packing for

Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void this fact even more apparent.

Sending a human to Mars is difficult enough, but when you’re planning on sending them

there for months or years, things become even more complicated. There are so many aspects

scientists must consider as they plan out the expedition such as how much extra fuel it will take

to launch all the extra things humans need to survive such as food and water. Everyday actions

we already know must be relearned so that we can perform them in a zero-gravity environment.

At the same time, these complex elements are what make this new project so interesting.

Trying to figure out the various problems humans pose are what keep us at the edge of our seat

and, ultimately, continuously interested in the subject. Experiment after experiment, testing the

human body’s limits, our possible reactions to the strange new land we may soon inhabit with

new information being found every day, keeping us on the edge of our seats and, ultimately,

continuously interested in the subject.

But can scientists satisfy the wide variety of people waiting for the day things are put into

action? It’s hard to say. There are so many troubles that can occur, so many differences. In orbit,

everything gets turned on its head (Roach 19). With so many obstacles existing, waiting to trip us
up, will we ever be able to overcome them all and put all the plans and hard work scientists have

done into action?

Science has done the unthinkable time and time again, and I believe this is no exception.

Problems and challenges are what drives people, makes the process more entertaining and the

success so much sweeter. Although it will be a difficult journey, we will be successful and will

have yet another amazing moment in history.

 Bibliography
Roach, Mary. Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. New York: W.W.
Norton & Company, Inc., 2010.