6 - What is Mars Like

• List potential problems as you read about them in your book. Also be thinking about other problems not mentioned that we should be considering.
• Write a journal entry about what you learned from the perspective of your persona.  Be "in character" while writing and express some of your concerns & worries in your writing.
  
• Include some of the other personas in your writing to make it feel more real.  Publish live and then comment on others' writing.

Problems

• Not being used to longer years and the darkness from the longer days affecting our amount of sleep.
• Getting there late and having Mars pass us up.  
• Degenerating Muscles because of lack of gravity. (38% of Earth's)
• No oceans: If water runs out we will die of thirst.
• Mars is half the size of Earth: Not that much room to escape if an infection spreads.
• Lots of Volcanoes: Could wipe us out.
• Lots of Canyons big and large: Could be dangerous especially for rovers.
• Lots of dust: Could break equipment.  
• To much Carbon Dioxide: Will automatically kill us if inhaled.
• Minimal Oxygen: Can't Breathe
• Low Pressure: Will explode because of expanding gases not having to compete with the outside pressure.  
• Red dust: If Inhaled will burn away at lung tissue and cause us to choke to death.
• Zapping Rays:High Energy Rays from the sun and outer space might hit and kill us.  

      I, Thomas Muller, as a physiologist will need to focus especially on the problem of our muscles degenerating.  Mars' gravity is only 38% percent (about 1/3) of Earth's and as a result our muscles will get used to not have to work against gravity so much and they will get gradually weaker.  This is a big problem as we will not have strong legs.  I was thinking up solutions for this problem and I have found a few that are worth mentioning.  First, I weighted vest custom fit and made for each citizen.  The citizen will wear this vest and it will simulate gravity similar to that on earth.  Also a vest with neodymium magnets in specific spots could also work.  Second the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) designed by NASA will take the place of the weighted vest on some days.  I am very excited to be going to Mars as I am essential to the mission.  I love being the first to do something.