Reality Check: Living on Mars - Elon Musk's Ambitious Plan

Can Humans Really Live on Mars? Elon Musk’s Dream and the Real Challenges

After Elon Musk’s warning, many people are asking – Is living on Mars truly possible?

Musk: And eventually, all life on Earth will be destroyed by the sun. It's gradually expanding, we do at some point have to be multi-planetary civilization because Earth will be incinerated… pic.twitter.com/gMrW39tiBf
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 6, 2025

Can We Colonise Mars? Here’s What We Know So Far

After Elon Musk’s statement about Earth’s future and the need to colonise Mars, the topic has gone viral across the world. Many media platforms are now talking about it, and even some companies are starting to invest in space travel and Mars missions.

But the big question is — Can we really live on Mars?

What Are the Problems on Mars?

Mars is very different from Earth. It’s not a friendly place to live. Here are the main problems:

No oxygen: Mars has very little oxygen, so humans cannot breathe there without special suits or oxygen machines.
Very cold: Mars is much colder than Earth. The average temperature is around -60°C. That’s freezing!
No water: Mars has some ice under the surface, but no flowing water like rivers or oceans.
Thin air: The air pressure is so low that if you take off your helmet, you’ll die in seconds.
Dangerous radiation: Mars has no magnetic field like Earth, so harmful radiation from the sun can cause cancer and damage to health.
Dust storms: Mars has huge dust storms that can last for weeks and block sunlight.

So, living on Mars will require advanced technology, protective shelters, and strong planning.

Is Anyone Working on This?

Many space agencies are working on Mars missions:

NASA (USA) plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.
SpaceX (Elon Musk’s company) wants to start sending people in the next 5 to 10 years.
ISRO (India) is also researching Mars and has already sent a satellite (Mangalyaan).

Elon Musk’s dream is to make a city on Mars with 1 million people. He says humans should become a “multi-planet species.”

How Many Times Have We Planned to Go?

So far, no human has landed on Mars.
NASA has sent robots like Perseverance and Curiosity to study the planet.
Human missions are in the planning stage.
Musk says multiple trips every two years might happen, starting this decade.

What Needs to Happen First?

To live on Mars, we need to:

Build homes that protect us from radiation and cold
Make machines that create oxygen from Mars’ air
Grow food in greenhouses
Recycle water and air
Have strong rockets that can carry people safely to Mars and back

Mars colonisation is possible, but it’s not easy. It will take many years, billions of dollars, and lots of science. Elon Musk’s idea is not a dream anymore, but it is also not something that will happen next year. It may take decades, but humans are working hard to make it real.