Richard Hollingham, writing for BBC Future:
Things start to get really interesting when Mars explorers stay for years, rather than weeks, and the settlement becomes established. “People will have children… and at some point the Mars base breaks out of becoming a base and becomes an actual village – a real society with real people living real lives, with children in schools and community orchestras. All kinds of things that a base commander might think are completely extraneous.”
That presumes the trip to Mars goes well, which can’t be assumed. Watch this NOVA scienceNOW episode to see what we’re up against.