What value is there in living on a planetary surface instead of in an orbital habitat?
Short answerHuman cultural attachment to planets and different tolerances for enclosed life may matter even when orbital settlement appears economically simpler.
NotesA purely economic calculation can favor orbital habitats, yet people may still choose Mars because living on a planetary surface has a strong cultural and psychological appeal. Artificial gravity does not settle the choice because each proposed method carries engineering tradeoffs. Tolerance for long periods in space is compared with submarine service: some people adapt well to an enclosed environment and others do not. Human preference and crew selection are therefore part of settlement logistics alongside the technical requirements for habitability.