A Little Caviar On The Cake

How could a colony so far from Earth and with such enormous transport costs make money in the longer term future? For a start, there will be a substantial demand for scientific research. In the lunar paradigm, all the costs of getting rock samples and placing experiments fell to NASA. But in a commercial colonisation of Mars, the taking of measurements, the undertaking of experiments, the retrieval of samples, would be services that the Martian colonists could sell to a vast range of institutional clients on Earth. Universities, research establishments and corporations could be willing to pay very handsomely for the colony's efforts and merchandise.

There is also no need to postulate valuable mineral resources at a colony's doorstep. Bits of the Moon were never made available for substantial sales to the general public. Mars rock is certain to be in great demand as souvenirs and curios. Quite small samples could fetch very high prices if marketed really effectively. But high value could be added to quite ordinary ground rock. If jewelers and masons were among the Mars colonists from an early stage, then fabrication in situ of polished rock jewelry, for example, might create a demand for necklaces, bracelets etc. The distinction between jewelry items made on Mars of martian materials and similar items made of the same martian materials from rock imports on Earth could be like the difference between cultured and natural pearls.

Would there be a market for such jewelry made of non precious materials? Of course there would. Firstly just the transportation cost and rarity value is likely to create demand among the rich and competitive. So many people cherish and seek after things few can own. Secondly, the colonisation of Mars is likely to be so much in the forefront of people's minds that it will make marketing a very fruitful process.

These are just some possibilities. There will be plenty of time to put together an innovative strategy for long term economic growth in the colony. How about fish farming on Mars (Sturgeon's eggs)? Just think of the price a loopy gastronome might pay for the ultimate dinner party extravagance. Martian caviar!

Finally on a side issue, apologies for the fact that this blog seems to have gone monochrome. I am chasing Blogger for a solution and a return of technicolor and the Martian background!