An artist’s rendering of a solar storm hitting Mars and stripping ions from the planet's upper atmosphere.

(NASA/GSFC)

Mars has been difficult for astronomers to research, but a recent study suggests that an artificial magnetic field may allow us to come closer to the planet than we ever thought possible.

“This may sound ‘fanciful’ but new research is starting to emerge revealing that ,” researchers wrote in a recent NASA study. “This new research is coming about due to the application of full plasma physics codes and laboratory experiments.

"In the future, it is quite possible that an inflatable structure(s) can generate a magnetic dipole field … as an active shield against the solar wind," the study says.Despite its fiery appearance, the Red Planet isarid and frigid because of its thin atmosphere. Mars has a significant amount of frozen and underground water, but its atmosphere keeps liquid water from remaining on its surface.

Mars’ surface also prevents spacecraft from making soft landings because it's not thick enough for support.

Attempts to explore the planet the way it is could leave astronauts vulnerable to, according to Universe Today.

The image above is an artist's rendering of artificial magnetic field protecting Mars.

(NASA/Jim Green)

The researchers believe that the planet may have had water covering 30 percent of its northern hemisphere in the past, and that itwasremovedwhen Mars lost its protective magnetic field at least 3billion years ago and was ravaged by solar wind.

Solar wind has caused Mars to lose a significant amount of its atmosphere, and the scientists have suggested that enhancing its pressure and temperaturewith the artificial field would allow liquid water to return to the surface, according to the study.

The researchers' findings also suggest the shield would allow Mars’ temperature to warm by roughly 39 degrees F, which would be enough to melt the ice trapping carbon dioxide over the planet’s northern polar cap. This would allow it to melt and possibly create a more livable, Earth-like environment.

They estimate nearly 1/7th of the planet’s ancient ocean is frozen in its polar cap.

"It may be feasible that we can get up to these higher field strengths that are necessary to provide that shielding," study co-author Jim Green said in a statement obtained by Universe Today. "We need to be able then to also modify that direction of the magnetic field so that it always pushes the solar wind away."

“The results of these simulations will be reviewed and a projection of how long it may take for Mars to become an exciting new planet to study and to live on,” wrote the scientists.