"Either we're going to become a multiplanet species and a spacefaring civilization, or we're going to be stuck on one planet until some eventual extinction event." Elon Musk.
Today flight on Moon or Mars is not a fantasy. It is a reality if we talk about robots and robotic machines. Much more sophisticated case is a flight of a human being on Mars. The red planet is far from ideal for human inhabitants. One of the largest hurdles is that Mars lacks a substantial magnetosphere which is a shield against solar and cosmic radiation. Weak magnetosphere on Mars is a killer for Martian colonists. They have a high risk to have cancer, and there is no terraforming technology realistically capable to make Martian magnetosphere stronger. Besides of all, terraforming is something that never was done before, and it is not the only opportunity [1].
Xenobiology is a subfield of synthetic biology and applied astrobiology, and prospective to be an astrobioengineering and astrobiosynthesis. Xenobiology is a form of biology that is not familiar to science and is not found in nature and can be used in development of a new type of human - extraterrestrial species.
Instead of trying to change an entire planet why not change the humans living on it? It can be done using current and prospective achievements of synthetic astrobiology. To begin our new Martians would need bigger lung along with bigger chests to house them in order to process the thin atmosphere. Their bones, as well, would have to be modified to cope with the lower gravity. Their skin, too, might have to be thicker; with higher amounts of melanin. Can we rebuild a human being? A big question and probably a big answer – yes.
Long-term interplanetary travel tasks, also, can be solved by synthetic astrobiology
Currently, Synthetic Astrobiology promises to make the travel to extraterrestrial locations more practical and bearable, and it could be also transformative once explorers arrive at their destination. At an extraterrestrial base, synthetic biology could make effective use of the catalytic activities of diverse organisms. According to Berkeley Lab’s Physical Biosciences Division (PBD) for a 916 day manned mission to Mars, the use of microbial biomanufacturing capabilities could reduce the mass of fuel manufacturing by 56-percent, the mass of food-shipments by 38-percent, and the shipped mass to 3D-print a habitat for six by a whopping 85-percent. In addition, microbes could also completely replenish expired or irradiated stocks of pharmaceuticals, which would provide independence from unmanned re-supply spacecraft that take up to 210 days to arrive.
So, good opportunity belongs to synthetic astrobiology which is emerging but fast growing science that can operate by human DNA… and contain questions and answers on many philosophical and legal questions that are an area of interests of IAAA School of Synthetic Astrobiology and Ethics.
IAAA is working with curriculum and teaching plan for a degree program in Applied Astrobiology with specialization in Synthetic Astrobiology.
Publications.
1.M. Christian. We Are the Martians: Will Humans Become a New Species on the Red Planet? August 10, 2018.