Farming on Mars? Only to a Point
Musk has floated ideas about growing plants by compressing the Martian atmosphere, but that would not work. More recently, he proposed using hydroponic farms underground, powered by solar panels.
However, Mars gets only half the sunlight Earth receives. Dust storms can block that light for weeks, and the panels would require constant cleaning and maintenance. Martian soil contains toxic chemicals, so traditional farming is not an option. While hydroponics can support leafy greens, they are expensive, energy hungry, and not suitable for many staple crops like corn or potatoes.
A better solution may be using small nuclear reactors. These compact power sources are already used in space missions. They are more reliable than solar panels and could supply the energy needed for farming and survival.
