Colonization or settlement of Mars is the theoretical migration of humans to Mars and the establishment of long-term human presence on the planet. The prospect has garnered interest from public space agencies and private corporations and has been extensively explored in science fiction writing, film, and art. Organizations have proposed plans for a human mission to Mars, the first step towards any colonization effort, but thus far no person has set foot on the planet, and there have been no return missions. However, landers and rovers have successfully explored the planetary surface and delivered information about conditions on the ground.
Artist conception of astronauts working outside, near a large modular habitat
An expedition-style crewed mission would operate on the surface, but for limited amounts of time.
Dust is one concern for Mars missions.
Artist's conception of the process of terraforming Mars as discussed in some works of science fiction
Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has appeared as a setting in works of fiction since at least the mid-1600s. Trends in the planet's portrayal have largely been influenced by advances in planetary science. It became the most popular celestial object in fiction in the late 1800s, when it became clear that there was no life on the Moon. The predominant genre depicting Mars at the time was utopian fiction. Around the same time, the mistaken belief that there are canals on Mars emerged and made its way into fiction, popularized by Percival Lowell's speculations of an ancient civilization having constructed them. The War of the Worlds, H. G. Wells's novel about an alien invasion of Earth by sinister Martians, was published in 1897 and went on to have a major influence on the science fiction genre.
H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, depicting Martians invading Earth, is one of the most influential works of science fiction.
A Plunge into Space, an 1890 piece of utopian fiction set on Mars
Orson Welles interviewed by reporters after his 1938 radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds caused a panic.
Klaatu, the Martian who visits Earth in the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still