A research roadmap for assessing the feasibility of warming Mars

Abstract

This roadmap outlines research pathways to determine whether Mars could be warmed with non-biological methods. It does not presuppose that warming Mars is desirable; its purpose is to identify what would need to be true for Mars to be warmed, what it would cost, and what could go wrong. Three complementary research tracks appear promising. Solid-state greenhouse membranes offer local warming, aiding water harvesting, food production, and oxygen supply near human bases. Orbiting reflectors can warm key sites such as bases and CO$_2$-ice reservoirs, although a large combined area would be required. Strengthening Mars' natural greenhouse effect might warm large regions or the globe, although many aspects remain to be worked out. Each approach carries scientific and technical risks that research must address. Near-term priorities are on-Earth testing of key parameters that will determine whether engineered aerosol warming is realistically possible, assessing whether exponential production of bioplastic habitats is possible, and designing at-Mars process experiments. In the near term, the research proposed here is closely aligned with and supports research needed to understand Mars' atmosphere and volatile evolution and hazards to human explorers. The main external uncertainty is whether or not launch costs continue to fall. This is early-stage research, and we discuss key near-term decision points, alternative pathways, and payoffs if research outcomes are negative. We also outline build-out pathways if research succeeds and demand exists. Relatively modest research investments would keep open the option of extending life beyond Earth as Mars' scientific exploration continues.