Yes, it is possible for a human to walk on Mars.
In the following article, we’ll explain.
Can You Walk On Mars? (EXPLAINED)
Introduction To Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.
It is one of the four terrestrial planets (along with Venus, Mercury, and Earth).
It has a solid surface, unlike Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
The distance between Earth and Mars changes as the planets proceed on their independent orbits around the sun.
While Mars could be as close as about 33 million miles from Earth, it could also be more than 200 million miles away from Earth.
Mars is a cold planet, partially because of its distance from the sun, and partially because it has a thin atmosphere.
The average temperature on Mars is about minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
It can get warmer, up to potentially 70 degrees Fahrenheit (shorts weather), and down under minus 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
The gravity on Mars is weaker than that of Earth, about 37% of Earth.
This means that a 200lb person would weigh about 74lbs.
The atmospheric pressure on Mars is minimal.
The atmosphere (little that there is) is mostly carbon dioxide.
A human could not breath the air on Mars and survive.
Why Can You Walk On Mars?
Mars is probably the planet that has the fewest characteristics that would prevent us from walking on it.
First, Mars has a solid surface that we can land on, and put our feet on.
We have sent craft to Mars, and there are rovers on Mars driving around on the surface of the planet as you read this article.
Some planets will never be walked on simply because they do not have a solid surface for our feet.
Jupiter and Saturn have a gaseous surface, which cannot be stood upon.
Uranus and Neptune have a slushy liquid surface, which also cannot be stood upon.
Second, Mars does not have a crushing pressure at its surface.
Gravity and atmospheric pressure on the surface of Mars is very mild for human survive.
Walking on Mars won’t be quite as bouncing or hoppy as you’d experience on the moon.
But it wouldn’t be hard to get some space under your feet if you jumped.
In contrast, atmospheric pressure on the surface of Venus would prevent landing or walking on its surface.
You might make it to the surface of Venus but the intense pressure would quickly crush you.
While the temperatures on Mars can be extremely, they are not that extreme.
Mars might get as hot as 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while Venus can reach over 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mars can get as cold as minus 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
While this is cold, it is something that humans could survive with our current technology.
In the end, aside from traveling and landing safely on Mars and breathing on Mars, the primary danger we’d have to be ready to combat is the radiation exposure.
(The same is true for trips to Mercury and Venus.)
Since the atmosphere of Mars is extremely thin (and there’s no magnetic field), there’s little protection for us on the surface of Mars.
In conclusion, with a bit of help from technology, we take the position that it is entirely possible for humans to walk on Mars.
Did You Know? (Other Facts About Mars)
Here are some facts you may not have known about Mars:
- Mars was named after the Roman god of war because of its reddish color.
- There is a lot of iron on the surface of Mars. The reddish color is the result of oxidation/rusting of that iron.
- Mars is about half the size of Earth.
- It takes Mars about 24-25 Earth hours to rotate once.
- It takes Mars 687 Earth days to orbit the sun once.
- Martian days (days on Mars) are called “sols.” This is short for “solar day.”
- Mars is about 142 million miles from the sun, while Earth is 91 million miles from the sun, and Jupiter is about 464 million miles from the sun.
- While areas of Mars show us evidence that there was once a magnetic field, there is currently no global magnetic field.
- Winds on Mars can whip up dust from the surface that can take months to return the surface.
- There’s a volcano on Mars that is three times the size of Mt. Everest.
- Water ice has been discovered on Mars.
- The core of Mars is thought to be made of iron, nickel, and sulfur.
- Mars has no rings.
- Mars has two moons, named Deimos and Phobos.
- Scientists think that Phobos will eventually crash into Mars or break up as it gets closer and form a ring around the planet.
- It is likely that there is molten rock underneath the surface of Mars. The surface of the planet shows evidence of past volcanic activity and scientists believe that there is volcanic activity happening currently.
- The names of the rovers that have been sent to Mars are: Sojourner, Curiosity, Perseverance, Spirit and Opportunity.
- The first Mars rover was Sojourner. It landed on the surface of Mars in 1997. It weighed only 23 pounds and was the size of a small suitcase. Compare that to Perseverance, which landed in 2021. It weighed about 2,260 pounds.
- It may snow on Mars. While there may be some water ice that falls as snow from Martian skies, it may also be probably frozen carbon dioxide.
- Like Earth, Mars has seasons.
- It takes about 6-7 months to get from Earth to Mars, if we time the launch right. Obviously it would take longer if we took off when the planet was on the far side of the solar system from us in its orbit.
Wrap Up
Mars is a fascinating planet, and we look forward to learning more about it as the progress of space exploration continues.
You might also enjoy:
- USVAO Mars Articles Library
- Can You Grow Grass on Mars?
- Can You Breathe on Mars?
- Facts About The Ara Constellation
- Facts About The Vela Constellation
- Do Constellations Change Over Time?
