BBC Sky at Night

Q&A WITH AN ASTROBIOLOGIST

What are the major challenges of setting up a base on the Moon or Mars?

The two major challenges are adjusting to different gravity regimes and radiation. The Moon is close by so it takes a short time to get there. When you land it’s a sixth of Earth’s gravity, and there’s no atmosphere so the radiation’s harsh. Mars is a longer trip; six months to get there, a year and a

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