The soundtrack to this episode is primarily a pipe organ. This is a reference to Interstellar (2014), a film also about space exploration similar to this episode, for which Hans Zimmer used pipe organ for much of its original score.
The title is a play on the Ray Bradbury novel 'The Martian Chronicles.'
One of the founders of Exploration Incorporated is voiced by Tom Scharpling, who voices a character on another space-related animated series, 'Steven Universe.' Coincidentally, a joke similar to Marge's line about Lisa being "grounded" was said by Scharpling on the other show.
In the 'alternate-ending flash-forward' one of the established business places is Marge's G-Rated Comedy Club Gentle Jollies, which was mentioned earlier in the show. The Club, the Krusty-Burger, Kwik-E-Mart, and The Android's Dungeon are the only shops not mentioned as major commercial sponsors of the original 1985 Mars mission. Also, people are riding giant chickens, possibly genetically-altered descendants of the Simpson's donated backyard stock.