Mars Fiction After Mariner IV

Mariner IV’s launch in 1964 ushered in a new era of Mars fiction. Its findings (or lack thereof) indicated no life, in fact it discovered that Mars is much more inhospitable than many science fiction writers ever imagined. Mariner IV’s photos made Mars appear more lunar like than it actually is, but it did take fairly accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure and of a magnetic field. Mars' atmospheric pressure was envisioned by many to be meager, the best estimates were around 10% of Earth’s; the atmosphere was found by Mariner IV to be nearly non-existent, at 1% of Earth's. In addition to this, it was discovered that had Mars no magnetic field, which implies the planet’s surface is exposed to high levels of ultra-violet radiation. Just about anything living on Earth would perish on Mars. Although stories of aliens still were occasionally published afterwards, the lack of evidence for a prolific Martian civilization constrained aliens as a topic to discuss. However, being creative as everyone knows those to be, science fiction authors began look at the “new” Mars from another angle. The emptiness and the hostility of Mars began to interest authors of stories and script writers for film.

D.G Compton’s novel Farewell Earth’s Bliss was one of the first science fiction novels to signal the shift in direction. However, according to Mariner IV's findings, there are a number of fallacies within. In the story, convicts are sent to a Mars to establish a penal colony. They survive by cultivating the mosses and lichens growing on the surface of an Antoniadian Mars. One character is cast out of the colony into the wilderness without any sort of protection; he lasts for most of the day. Despite the flaws, this novel is interesting in that it is a new type of Mars fiction, but maintains the important analogy aspect of Mars science fiction, as it discusses the social repression of America in the 1960’s by applying it to a “Martian” society.

Published eleven years later after Earth’s Bliss, The Far Call is a novel that makes use of additional data from Mariners 6, 7, & 9 and Vikings 1&2.  In this novel, an international expedition to Mars is sidetracked by the conniving countries. The astronauts and the US secretary of space are victimized by this plotting. Because he cares for the Astronauts, the secretary of space sacrifices his career for them when he orders them to return. So although interaction with Mars itself is not a central theme, the planet does provide a good setting for the story due to its merciless environment.
After the Viking missions, no more landers or probes were sent to examine Mars until Observer in 1992. Although science fiction about Mars was still being written, the rate at which Mars was being featured slowed down considerably in during the 80’s due to the lack of initiative to explore on NASA’s part. Although Observer was a failure,launched it gave life to Mars fiction.

In 1993, Kim Stanley Robinson had Red Mars published, the first in a trilogy. The novel is the epitome of post Mariner literature. In it, an international space crew trained for years for a mission to Mars, they are sent there to establish a scientific community. Later on it grows into a settlement of greater vocational variety. In this novel, terraforming, or altering the landscape of the planet to resemble Earth is a major aspect of colonization in Red Mars. The missed opportunity to establish a utopia upon Mars is another prominent theme. The novel revolves around this argument: what Mars should become.

For now, science fiction based on Mars is developing in the same direction it has been ever since Mariner IV.. However, it should hardly be surprising if this sub-genre takes another path; this trail has chaged twice before. Whether or not this change will require the actual human settlement of Mars or not remains to be seen. Perhaps a probe or land rover will discover a fossil or even life. Who knows? In any event, there should be no question to the inevitability of its change. Science fiction will always continue to be altered because science is dynamic, and this regards Mars fiction just as well.