Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Credit: Lockheed Martin

When the first footfalls on Mars takes place, any firm footing on that distant world means living off the land.

It is already known that Mars is a plentiful planet, one that has usable resources to sustain any onslaught of future expeditionary crews.

But hunkering down and living off the un-earthly scenery is easier said than done – a theme also termed as In-Situ Resource Utilization, or ISRU. There are many issues to tangle with – not only to survive on Mars, but also thrive there.

Credit: NASA

For more details, take a read of my new story on Space.com:

Digging in on Mars! How Astronauts Will Survive and Thrive on the Red Planet

by Leonard David, Space.com’s Space Insider Columnist

December 28, 2015 08:05am ET

Go to:

http://www.space.com/31474-mars-colony-living-off-the-land.html