**5. The meaning of "Astrosociology on Mars"**

"Astrosociology on Mars" reflects the need to place social scientists—astrosociologists—on the Martian surface along with the expected STEM-oriented individuals. Both branches of science, the physical and the social, provide benefits to settlers, as they must cope with issues in their physical and social environments. They must interact within their physical space with one another. "Astrosociology on Mars" most importantly refers to the need to put *astrosociologists* on Mars!

More broadly, the "Astrosociology on Mars" concept refers to the vital need to include social and behavioral scientists, humanities scholars, and space architectural artists in the planning for human-based ecosystems in the Martian environment on a permanent basis. Just as importantly, it refers to the vital need to include them in these ecosystems in order to help set up social institutions and continue to study the behavioral patterns of the members of social systems as their populations increase: from bases, to communities, to space societies. Each significant population increase results in exponential rises in complexity in the population's behavioral patterns and thus an increase potential social problems.

The social sciences are vital to the functioning of terrestrial societies and there is predictably even a greater need for this type of research in Martian settlements. Unlike isolated habitats on Earth, such as underwater facilities, submarines, and Arctic and Antarctic bases, the perception of returning back to terrestrial civilization seems unlikely, or at least months away, which can result is mental and social problems for some individuals. Without the input of astrosociologists on Mars, chaos and conflict in addition to other forms of deviant behavior is much more likely to occur, as the stressors generated by confinement and isolation on another planet can cause great behavioral disruptions. Research on Earth focusing on similar settings, both related to space and unrelated directly, have provided invaluable knowledge and insights. See these publications, which provide important examples (although a large number of others exist as well) [13, 38–41].

Astrosociology on Mars is essential to humans settling there because their lives depend on social order and cooperative interactions. Thus, they are just as important as the life-giving contributions of the physical and natural sciences and engineering technologies. The physical structures must make staying alive possible, so they are necessary although they are not sufficient, and thus the social structures must also exist to make social life possible. The social sciences and physical sciences to work together, as both are necessary for life at the planet Mars. They must work in concert with one another. As such, astrosociology belongs in the Martian settlements along with the physical sciences. Generally, astrosociology exists to bridge the chasm between the two major branches of science as depicted in **Figure 1**.

#### **6. The astrosociological imagination**

The concept of the sociological imagination was introduced by sociologist C. Wright Mills in 1959. In this sociological context, he stated that it is important to recognize and understand relationship between the self and society, to possess "the vivid awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society [42], p. 6." Specifically, he stated that "The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. That is its task and its promise [42], p. 6."

Application of the sociological imagination to the field of astrosociology allows for the introduction of the *astrosociological imagination*. "The astrosociological imagination is a high-level conceptualization; it is an insightful way at looking at

**149**

*Astrosociology on Mars*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93309*

humans wherever they reside.

injurious or even fatal.

**7.1 On Earth, before launch**

ences alone do not reflect the totality of reality.

the world that allows a person possessing and exercising it to make connections between his or her personal world of experiences and the macro-level (larger scale) existence of astrosocial forces [43]." It is an understanding that personal experi-

Thus, the specific focus on the vivid awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the impact of astrosocial phenomena is an important case because a substantial portion of any given society fail to recognize their relationships to the overwhelming and increasing influences of space activities. This includes policies and actions. It also includes the hidden forces that tend to exist out of the attention of the average citizen. Many citizens regard the money spent to explore space and humankind's place in our universe as a waste of tax dollar and private investment as a waste as long as terrestrial social problems require attention. This Earth-centric view lacks the vision necessary to understand the present impact of space activities and the foresight to imagine how much more they will impact on

Why is the astrosociological imagination important to humans settling Mars? A key reason is that the astrosociological imagination broadly speaking is vital to recognize the relationship between individuals and the larger Martian social society. More important in many ways is the fact that living on Mars means that space has a much greater impact on everyday social life. Therefore, possessing a strong astrosociological imagination becomes vital to not only recognizing less obvious impacts on people's lives, but also vital to survival. The physical environments, and thus the ecosystem within the habitat are much more dangerous and require acute attention to the obvious social forces as well as the underlying patterns. Lacking the astrosociological imagination on Earth is disappointing, but lacking it on Mars can become

**7. Planning before launch, during transit, and once arriving on Mars**

an ecosystem early in the process increases the odds of success [44].

On Earth, planning must involve the social construction of the settlement as a theoretical model that takes into account the intricacies of a social system that has never existed. Depending on those who lead the planning effort, the type of Martian society will differ so that its characteristics and functional details align with their priorities. Planning must occur on Earth before the first launch so that the earliest days of settling the Red Planet becomes as optimal as possible. Planning

Astrosociology on Mars begins as "Astrosociology on Earth" in the sense that the human sciences must be involved in providing invaluable insights as to the astrosocial phenomena that will inevitably impact on the success of any space mission, whether temporary or permanent in nature. The contributions by social scientists from the planning stage onward remains undervalued to a perplexing extent, but their importance needs to be understood in terms of their true impact. Too few contributions can result in a failed or chaotic outcome while an adequate level of contributions can assist with the physical aspects and, more directly, on the behavioral aspects while in transit and after arriving on the Martian surface. Currently, the social sciences and humanities continue as a neglected category in the planning stages and beyond. Sending tens, hundreds, or even thousands of humans to Mars in a relatively short period of time is not recommended without input from astrosociologists. As a theoretical enterprise, consider what would occur if 100 individuals were sent to a deserted island without the knowledge regarding how to construct a functional

#### *Astrosociology on Mars DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93309*

*Mars Exploration - A Step Forward*

**5. The meaning of "Astrosociology on Mars"**

patterns and thus an increase potential social problems.

(although a large number of others exist as well) [13, 38–41].

**6. The astrosociological imagination**

That is its task and its promise [42], p. 6."

"Astrosociology on Mars" reflects the need to place social scientists—astrosociologists—on the Martian surface along with the expected STEM-oriented individuals. Both branches of science, the physical and the social, provide benefits to settlers, as they must cope with issues in their physical and social environments. They must interact within their physical space with one another. "Astrosociology on

More broadly, the "Astrosociology on Mars" concept refers to the vital need to include social and behavioral scientists, humanities scholars, and space architectural artists in the planning for human-based ecosystems in the Martian environment on a permanent basis. Just as importantly, it refers to the vital need to include them in these ecosystems in order to help set up social institutions and continue to study the behavioral patterns of the members of social systems as their populations increase: from bases, to communities, to space societies. Each significant population increase results in exponential rises in complexity in the population's behavioral

The social sciences are vital to the functioning of terrestrial societies and there is predictably even a greater need for this type of research in Martian settlements. Unlike isolated habitats on Earth, such as underwater facilities, submarines, and Arctic and Antarctic bases, the perception of returning back to terrestrial civilization seems unlikely, or at least months away, which can result is mental and social problems for some individuals. Without the input of astrosociologists on Mars, chaos and conflict in addition to other forms of deviant behavior is much more likely to occur, as the stressors generated by confinement and isolation on another planet can cause great behavioral disruptions. Research on Earth focusing on similar settings, both related to space and unrelated directly, have provided invaluable knowledge and insights. See these publications, which provide important examples

Astrosociology on Mars is essential to humans settling there because their lives depend on social order and cooperative interactions. Thus, they are just as important as the life-giving contributions of the physical and natural sciences and engineering technologies. The physical structures must make staying alive possible, so they are necessary although they are not sufficient, and thus the social structures must also exist to make social life possible. The social sciences and physical sciences to work together, as both are necessary for life at the planet Mars. They must work in concert with one another. As such, astrosociology belongs in the Martian settlements along with the physical sciences. Generally, astrosociology exists to bridge the chasm between the two major branches of science as depicted in **Figure 1**.

The concept of the sociological imagination was introduced by sociologist C. Wright Mills in 1959. In this sociological context, he stated that it is important to recognize and understand relationship between the self and society, to possess "the vivid awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the wider society [42], p. 6." Specifically, he stated that "The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society.

Application of the sociological imagination to the field of astrosociology allows

for the introduction of the *astrosociological imagination*. "The astrosociological imagination is a high-level conceptualization; it is an insightful way at looking at

Mars" most importantly refers to the need to put *astrosociologists* on Mars!

**148**

the world that allows a person possessing and exercising it to make connections between his or her personal world of experiences and the macro-level (larger scale) existence of astrosocial forces [43]." It is an understanding that personal experiences alone do not reflect the totality of reality.

Thus, the specific focus on the vivid awareness of the relationship between personal experience and the impact of astrosocial phenomena is an important case because a substantial portion of any given society fail to recognize their relationships to the overwhelming and increasing influences of space activities. This includes policies and actions. It also includes the hidden forces that tend to exist out of the attention of the average citizen. Many citizens regard the money spent to explore space and humankind's place in our universe as a waste of tax dollar and private investment as a waste as long as terrestrial social problems require attention. This Earth-centric view lacks the vision necessary to understand the present impact of space activities and the foresight to imagine how much more they will impact on humans wherever they reside.

Why is the astrosociological imagination important to humans settling Mars? A key reason is that the astrosociological imagination broadly speaking is vital to recognize the relationship between individuals and the larger Martian social society. More important in many ways is the fact that living on Mars means that space has a much greater impact on everyday social life. Therefore, possessing a strong astrosociological imagination becomes vital to not only recognizing less obvious impacts on people's lives, but also vital to survival. The physical environments, and thus the ecosystem within the habitat are much more dangerous and require acute attention to the obvious social forces as well as the underlying patterns. Lacking the astrosociological imagination on Earth is disappointing, but lacking it on Mars can become injurious or even fatal.
