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Effects on human health

Mars presents a hostile environment for human habitation. Different technologies have been developed to assist long-term space exploration and may be adapted for habitation on Mars. The existing record for the longest consecutive space flight is 438 days by cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, and the most accrued time in space is 878 days by Gennady Padalka. These are very short lengths of time in space in comparison to the 1100 day journey planned by NASA as soon as the year 2028. Scientists have also hypothesized that many different biological functions can be negatively affected by the environment of Mars colonies. Due to higher levels of radiation, there are a multitude of physical side-effects that must be mitigated.

Physical effects

The difference in gravity will negatively affect human health by weakening bones and muscles. There is also risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems. Current rotations on the International Space Station put astronauts in zero gravity for six months, a comparable length of time to a one-way trip to Mars. This gives researchers the ability to better understand the physical state that astronauts going to Mars will arrive in. Once on Mars, surface gravity is only 38% of that on Earth. Upon return to Earth, recovery from bone loss and atrophy is a long process and the effects of microgravity may never fully reverse. There are also severe radiation risks on Mars that can influence cognitive processes, deteriorate cardiovascular health, inhibit reproduction, and cause cancer. Additionally, in-utero development is very fragile and severely effected by radiation. Data from irradiated survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki provide insight into the "radiosensitivity in humans as a function of gestational age and dose for several CNS endpoints, including severe mental retardation, head circumference, intelligence test scores, and school performance". Close monitoring of the radiation received by reproductive colonists will be necessary to ensure the health of offspring. Additionally, a large focus of colonization development is on reducing the amount of radiation absorbed by astronauts. But early colonizing may be faced with these challenges and the harm could be seen for generations, as stated in academic articles: "the pioneers making the first journeys to Mars and its vicinity to explore and set up a base that eventually will lead to a continuously occupied colony, will face more hazards than those that follow".

Psychological effects

A study from the Journal of Cosmology by Dr. Nick Kanas states that “Unprecedented factors will affect such a mission. A Mars crew will be tens of millions of miles away from home, engaged in a mission that will last around  2 ¹⁄₂years. Crew members [sic] will experience a severe sense of isolation and separation from the Earth, which will appear as a receding bluish-green dot in the heavens. From the surface of Mars, there will be 2-way communication delays with the Earth of up to 44 minutes, depending on where the two planets are located in their respective orbits, and the crew will be relatively autonomous from mission control.” Due to the communication delays, new protocols need to be developed in order to assess crew members' psychological health. Computer programs are being developed to assist crews with personal and interpersonal issues in absence of direct communication with professionals on earth. Current suggestions for Mars exploration and colonization are to select individuals who have passed psychological screenings. Psychosocial sessions for the return home are also suggested in order to reorient people to society.