From a plumber to a cook. Who will be needed on Mars?

The vision of living on Mars this century is becoming more and more realistic. It is expected that humanity will not only set foot on the Red Planet in the mid-21st century, but also begin to inhabit it. This new reality requires a fundamental change in the approach to space education, which becomes necessary in the face of upcoming challenges. Engineering knowledge and astronaut skills are no longer enough – future space colonies will need specialists in various fields, such as biology, architecture and even gastronomy.

The last two decades have brought incredible development in the space industry. Every day, missions and experiments are carried out in Earth’s orbit, bringing us closer to a permanent presence on other planets. As Janet Ivey-Duensing, CEO of Janet’s Planet and head of education at Explore Mars, emphasizes, the space industrial sector may reach a value of up to two trillion dollars in the coming decades. Importantly, it will need not only astronauts and engineers, but also specialists from various professions – plumbers, cooks and designers. The needs of space missions will be as diverse as those on Earth.

Preparing for habitation on Mars

The key issue in the future colonization of Mars is proper preparation. We currently have rocket technology that can take us there, but it’s still unclear whether humans can land safely on the Red Planet. Mars’ atmosphere is thin, which means landing on its surface can be risky. Therefore, robots that will prepare the right conditions for life should go to Mars before humans.

Life on Mars will require specialized knowledge in many fields. In addition to engineering, knowledge of geology, meteorology, and even the ability to care for children who may be born on Mars will also be useful. Dust storms on this planet can last for years, so knowing this phenomenon and being able to deal with its effects will be crucial. Colonizers won’t be able to walk freely on Mars right away – a safe living environment will have to be created first.

Although humanity has not yet colonized other planets, space missions are already having a huge impact on our everyday lives. Technologies developed in space exploration are widely used on Earth. An example is a smartphone, whose computing power exceeds the computers used during the Apollo 11 mission. GPS navigation, climate data and weather forecasts – we owe all this information to the space industry and satellites. Space technology is constantly improving the quality of our life on Earth, and future missions to Mars may bring further innovations.

New challenges and perspectives

Janet Ivey-Duensing emphasizes that when thinking about the future of space colonization, we must also consider how it can contribute to improving living conditions on Earth. If we inspire students now to learn the knowledge needed to explore other planets, we can not only accelerate the colonization of Mars, but also introduce innovations that will improve our lives here on Earth.

The IMARC Group report shows that the space exploration market is growing dynamically and may reach a value of USD 57.2 billion by 2032. Increased interest in space missions and growing government budgets are key factors driving this development. Humanity is on the threshold of a new era – the era of space conquests that may forever change our world and life in it.