Mars, glowing with a dull red light in the night sky, is increasingly seen as the next frontier for human experimentation. Elon Musk stated in 2019 that there is a possibility of establishing a self-sustaining city by 2050, assuming ten orbital synchronizations; however, the process remains a complex equation of technological challenges.

The greatest hurdle is atmospheric pressure, which averages only 610 Pa, a mere 0.6% of Earth's. This necessitates that habitation modules maintain a level of airtightness comparable to submarines. Oxygen production could begin with the CO₂ electrolysis demonstrated by NASA's MOXIE, which can generate up to 12 g/h, while theoretical research on artificial photosynthesis and future terraforming strategies will run parallel as long-term solutions.

Gravity on Mars is only 38% of that on Earth. To mitigate bone and muscle atrophy, a primary scenario involves rotating habitats with diameters ranging from several dozen to several hundred meters, utilizing centrifugal force. A hybrid approach incorporating pharmacological and exercise therapies appears to be realistic.

To counter high-energy cosmic rays, underground or semi-underground shelters covered with regolith or ice are being considered as viable options. Analyses suggest that even 1 meter of local soil could reduce radiation exposure to less than one-fifth of that on the Martian surface. The thick ice sheets at the poles are expected to serve as both shielding material and sources of drinking water and propulsion.

The remaining key issue is logistics. The Falcon 9 rocket costs approximately $2,700 per kilogram ($2.7 million per ton), but the reusable Starship aims to achieve a target cost of $10–20 per kilogram through high-frequency operations. The moment this two-digit order of cost reduction is realized, Mars will transform from a mere celestial body into the next "frontline base" of human civilization.