Mineralogy, Soil Composition, and Biological Viability on Mars: A Combined Analysis

This research integrates findings from the Mars Pathfinder mission, laboratory experiments with Mars soil simulants, and NASA’s planetary protection framework to evaluate the mineralogical, biological, and engineering properties of Martian soil. The study synthesizes the results of Bell et al. (2000), Wamelink et al. (2019), and Sanders & Mueller (2015), providing a comprehensive analysis of Mars’ regolith composition, plant growth potential, and in-situ resource utilization prospects. The findings demonstrate that Martian soil is basaltic, oxidized, and water-altered, yet capable of supporting plant growth with organic supplementation. The report concludes with recommendations for future ISRU development and planetary protection considerations for sustainable Mars colonization.