Exploring Mars helps us better understand Earth, say experts

Missions to Mars involve a huge amount of resources and enormous investment. So why should we explore the Red Planet?

Mankind has gazed at Mars since ancient times, wondering what might lie on this reddish sphere and if life exists there. Sending robotic or even manned missions to Mars could satiate our curiosity, meet our need for adventure and challenge, foster the spirit of innovation, and ultimately, help to solve the ultimate question: Are we alone in the universe?

In addition, great exploration endeavors always sow the seeds of dreams and aspirations in generations of people, especially children and teenagers, inspiring them to strive for knowledge and discover new places. They strengthen the universal awareness of common humanity, encouraging people around the world to focus on our shared future and challenges rather than conflicts and parochial interests.

In a practical context, Mars programs bring a great deal of scientific, technological and technical benefits to the world, according to researchers.

Pang Zhihao, a retired researcher from the China Academy of Space Technology and a renowned writer on space exploration, said Mars resembles Earth the most in our solar system and is comparatively near to Earth. Exploring Mars to understand its origin and evolution helps us to better understand the history of Earth and the solar system, and also allows us to speculate on possible changes to our planet in the future.

Preparing for and conducting Mars missions extensively boosts our capabilities in technology and engineering because people need to invent, design and build many new, compact, cutting-edge devices and ensure they can work in the tough environment on Mars, he said, explaining that many outcomes of this work can also be applied on Earth.

Furthermore, according to Mao Xinyuan, a popular author on space activity, Mars has massive resources that can be used upon man's arrival, including its vast land area and water in its polar regions. Considering advantages such as its weaker gravity, the planet can also be an ideal base for mankind to realize journeys further into space, he added.