Challenges to Getting “There” and Staying There

Humans quickly learned that the environment changed significantly whether we were moving above the surface of the earth to the sky and space or below the surface of the earth to oceans and caves. The ability to move, breathe, perform tasks and even to think, changed drastically depending upon our location. This chapter discusses how the environment, not only in space but also on the surface of other objects like our moon, will change very significantly from what we are used to on the surface of the earth. The differences include not only the amount of light and the ability to move around to perform tasks but also aspects of thermal equilibrium, living environment and radiation. Multiple adaptations and changes are required to exist in those challenging environments. The enclosed environment required to obtain access to space, the Moon, and Mars will also be discussed since it significantly impacts the requirements on both humans and equipment as the surface of the earth is left behind.