One of the things that are considered related to the mission to Mars is about food. If food must be shipped from Earth, certainly very costly because of transportation costs. Meanwhile, so far no research that says that the crops or livestock can be grown in situ on Mars.
Among the uncertainties, the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Ingrid E. Newkirk, say, being a vegetarian is the best choice for life on Mars. He said being a vegetarian can provide an opportunity to enjoy a longer life on Mars and protected from disease.
"If the colonization of Mars Elon Musk's vision into reality, the last thing people need is a disease and the devastation caused by eating animals. Do you live in new homes on Mars and survive on Earth, being a vegetarian is the best way to enjoy life as long as possible," said Newkirk as quoted by Space.com, Friday (19/08/2011).
Declared its seriousness, Newkirk on behalf of his organization sent a letter to Elon Musk on Monday (8/8/2011) ago. The letter stated, "We can get the right foods in our new biosphere by ensuring that the aircraft SpaceX only vegetarian food and take stock of the colony have committed non-animal diet after arriving."
Musk was responding to statements Newkirk, but he only said that the vegetarian is probably the tactics at the beginning of colonization. He reveals, "I am a supporter of free choice for the future on Mars. This means, most likely early colonists of Mars does have a vegetarian diet because of limited land and energy to raise."
Until the mission astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) running for decades, NASA has had a ban eating pet food. Instead, some diets are given on the ISS astronauts made from animals, such as beef, shrimp and ayam.Belum there is also research that became a vegetarian will improve survival beyond Earth.
But Musk statement is true. When the condition has not been possible to raise, becoming vegetarian is a surefire strategy. Plants more easily cultivated than the animal. When conditions allow, and cultivation techniques have been found, like on Earth, only a selection of vegetarian only. -SPACE.COM