**7.1 On Earth, before launch**

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

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

social system. The trial and error attempts to reach a civil community will inevitably result in harm to some individuals without social-scientific expertise being infused in the planning.

Just as the construction, planning, and testing of the hardware is an essential component, which gets people to the red planet, construction of the social system on the ground is also vital. While it may take 6 to 8 months to travel to Mars, life in the Martian settlement will last lifetimes and perhaps generations if all goes well. It is therefore imprudent to expect settlers to construct the social system of a functioning settlement only after they arrive.

#### **7.2 Life in the spacecraft during transit**

During life in the spacecraft, the theoretical construction of the settlement must become implemented as a practical, functioning version. For example, the culture must be understood by the population and rules of behavior, the social norms, must be accepted, including penalties for violations. "A central assumption made here is that the population that ultimately leaves our planet together must be socialized into a single social order that exists before boarding their spacecraft; and they must largely accept the ideas (including values) and the norms or social rules that protect these values that comprise a single culture, which is part of the social order [44], p. 3." Details about culture and social structures follow in subsequent sections.

The long journey to Mars makes it imperative to provide structure and understanding among those in the population about what types of behaviors are acceptable and which are not. This stage of settling Mars provides a shakedown of sorts that put the plans made on Earth to the test. It must be structured in order to acclimate travelers to the social system and culture, and so that they know what is expected when they arrive at Mars.

This stage of the settlement mission will be characterized by boredom, largely because a great majority of the voyage will be automated [45]. There will be extreme challenges on the long-duration trip to Mars [46]. The best way to meet the trials involved so that stressors are minimized is for the physical and social elements to work together. The astrosociological approach involves collaboration and taking advantage of social-scientific knowledge available today and that learned in the future before the mission begins. The more knowledge that can be implemented in the planning, the better the experience on the voyage to Mars.

#### **7.3 Once arriving at Mars**

Once arriving at Mars, settlers must put the predetermined plan into operation. The transit phase will allow for adjustments to the original plan to be put into practice, as problems and other unanticipated issues will have undoubtedly arisen. With a good original plan as a starting point coupled with the lessons learned during the trip to Mars, the construction of the social system and the physical components of the habitat can help ensure a better organized starting point, even with the difficulties that will exist. This eventually would not be nearly as practical without the original plan that was formulated on Earth, and of course, the great bulk of this chapter focuses on this arrival stage.

#### **8. Physical and social environments**

Physical environments include the spacecraft and habitat structures while the social environments include the interiors of these physical environments where

**151**

**Figure 3.**

*The comparative atmospheres of Earth and Mars/photo credit: NASA.*

*Astrosociology on Mars*

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

Martian habitat constantly requires monitoring.

humans live and interact. It is important to distinguish between the two. Planning regarding the physical and social aspects must receive equal attention because the construction of the social ecosystems is just as important for the survival of the inhabitants as the construction of the physical components [47]. "Although engineering solutions can construct a physical environment that can sustain the population on a biological basis, this capability cannot ensure the success of the settlement due to its inattention to the critical issues related to the social environment" [48], p. 554. They must be also integrated as one whole entity. If one of them goes "out of whack," it places strains on the other. There is a balancing act in which living in a

Determining where to place a settlement, such as choosing between the surface or lava tubes, for example, can have implications down the line for the social environment. "Lava tubes on the Moon and Mars are of interest for space settlement because caves have been proposed as natural shelters that future human explorers could occupy. Caves would in principle protect dwellers from surface radiation, wide temperature swings, micrometeorite impacts, and rocket exhaust blast" among other benefits [49]. Another potential benefit is that life support requirements could be simplified. This could thereby reduce the rate of resource use due to fewer precautions that would be needed to protect settlers and their equipment. Alternatively, a surface settlement would need to implement greater resources and strategies to protect the settlement and its occupants. Existing on the surface could provide easier access to the objectives of settlers such as accessing water, greater mobility to different areas including the use of rovers, and better access to searching for Martian life. The decision regarding which type of environment is chosen will be based on a cost-benefit analysis based on the objectives of the leadership. Another alternative, if practical, is taking advantage of both options in a fairly small area. Again, physical and social criteria must both be part of these calculations. As this chapter emphasizes, the social environment cannot receive too little attention by planners during the first two stages and astrosociologists must be ready to conduct their research once construction of the Martian settlement begins. Future Martians will need to cope with the same interpersonal issues that populations on Earth do, but in far smaller and more confined social settings. And, in fact, more challenging living conditions can easily aggravate social interactions due to the harsh Martian conditions outside of the habitat components including the mainly carbon dioxide nonbreathable and thin atmosphere (see **Figure 3**), cold outside temperatures, solar radiation, seasonal dust storms, and the lack of even the simplest conveniences.

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

*Mars Exploration - A Step Forward*

tioning settlement only after they arrive.

**7.2 Life in the spacecraft during transit**

expected when they arrive at Mars.

**7.3 Once arriving at Mars**

chapter focuses on this arrival stage.

**8. Physical and social environments**

infused in the planning.

social system. The trial and error attempts to reach a civil community will inevitably result in harm to some individuals without social-scientific expertise being

Just as the construction, planning, and testing of the hardware is an essential component, which gets people to the red planet, construction of the social system on the ground is also vital. While it may take 6 to 8 months to travel to Mars, life in the Martian settlement will last lifetimes and perhaps generations if all goes well. It is therefore imprudent to expect settlers to construct the social system of a func-

During life in the spacecraft, the theoretical construction of the settlement must become implemented as a practical, functioning version. For example, the culture must be understood by the population and rules of behavior, the social norms, must be accepted, including penalties for violations. "A central assumption made here is that the population that ultimately leaves our planet together must be socialized into a single social order that exists before boarding their spacecraft; and they must largely accept the ideas (including values) and the norms or social rules that protect these values that comprise a single culture, which is part of the social order [44], p. 3."

This stage of the settlement mission will be characterized by boredom, largely because a great majority of the voyage will be automated [45]. There will be extreme challenges on the long-duration trip to Mars [46]. The best way to meet the trials involved so that stressors are minimized is for the physical and social elements to work together. The astrosociological approach involves collaboration and taking advantage of social-scientific knowledge available today and that learned in the future before the mission begins. The more knowledge that can be implemented in

Once arriving at Mars, settlers must put the predetermined plan into operation. The transit phase will allow for adjustments to the original plan to be put into practice, as problems and other unanticipated issues will have undoubtedly arisen. With a good original plan as a starting point coupled with the lessons learned during the trip to Mars, the construction of the social system and the physical components of the habitat can help ensure a better organized starting point, even with the difficulties that will exist. This eventually would not be nearly as practical without the original plan that was formulated on Earth, and of course, the great bulk of this

Physical environments include the spacecraft and habitat structures while the social environments include the interiors of these physical environments where

Details about culture and social structures follow in subsequent sections. The long journey to Mars makes it imperative to provide structure and understanding among those in the population about what types of behaviors are acceptable and which are not. This stage of settling Mars provides a shakedown of sorts that put the plans made on Earth to the test. It must be structured in order to acclimate travelers to the social system and culture, and so that they know what is

the planning, the better the experience on the voyage to Mars.

**150**

humans live and interact. It is important to distinguish between the two. Planning regarding the physical and social aspects must receive equal attention because the construction of the social ecosystems is just as important for the survival of the inhabitants as the construction of the physical components [47]. "Although engineering solutions can construct a physical environment that can sustain the population on a biological basis, this capability cannot ensure the success of the settlement due to its inattention to the critical issues related to the social environment" [48], p. 554. They must be also integrated as one whole entity. If one of them goes "out of whack," it places strains on the other. There is a balancing act in which living in a Martian habitat constantly requires monitoring.

Determining where to place a settlement, such as choosing between the surface or lava tubes, for example, can have implications down the line for the social environment. "Lava tubes on the Moon and Mars are of interest for space settlement because caves have been proposed as natural shelters that future human explorers could occupy. Caves would in principle protect dwellers from surface radiation, wide temperature swings, micrometeorite impacts, and rocket exhaust blast" among other benefits [49]. Another potential benefit is that life support requirements could be simplified. This could thereby reduce the rate of resource use due to fewer precautions that would be needed to protect settlers and their equipment.

Alternatively, a surface settlement would need to implement greater resources and strategies to protect the settlement and its occupants. Existing on the surface could provide easier access to the objectives of settlers such as accessing water, greater mobility to different areas including the use of rovers, and better access to searching for Martian life. The decision regarding which type of environment is chosen will be based on a cost-benefit analysis based on the objectives of the leadership. Another alternative, if practical, is taking advantage of both options in a fairly small area. Again, physical and social criteria must both be part of these calculations.

As this chapter emphasizes, the social environment cannot receive too little attention by planners during the first two stages and astrosociologists must be ready to conduct their research once construction of the Martian settlement begins. Future Martians will need to cope with the same interpersonal issues that populations on Earth do, but in far smaller and more confined social settings. And, in fact, more challenging living conditions can easily aggravate social interactions due to the harsh Martian conditions outside of the habitat components including the mainly carbon dioxide nonbreathable and thin atmosphere (see **Figure 3**), cold outside temperatures, solar radiation, seasonal dust storms, and the lack of even the simplest conveniences.

**Figure 3.** *The comparative atmospheres of Earth and Mars/photo credit: NASA.*

Habitat structures must provide adequate opportunities for Mars settlement citizens to be able to socialize, to interact when they need to be around other people. Compartmentalization, which is often depicted in artistic renderings, is not a prudent design when carried too far. Privacy is important although isolation is not healthy when socializing becomes difficult under these types of isolated and enclosed conditions. The social environment, the ecosystem inside the habitat, must become increasingly designed as it grows in size to limit isolation among those in the growing population. This should be integrated into the original plan. Space architecture should also make the design within the physical structures more like a community and less like a spacecraft or base.
