Mars habitat

NASA artwork of a potential Mars habitat in conjunction with other surface elements on Mars
Various components of the Mars Outpost proposal. (M. Dowman, 1989)[1]
1990s era NASA design featuring 'spam can' type habitat landers. The downside may be minimal shielding for the crew, and two ideas are to use Mars materials, such as ice, to increase shielding, and another is to move underground, perhaps caves

A Mars habitat is a hypothetical place where humans could live on Mars.[2][3] Mars habitats would have to contend with surface conditions that include almost no oxygen in the air, extreme cold, low pressure, and high radiation.[4] Alternatively, the habitat might be placed underground, which helps solve some problems but creates new difficulties.[5]

One challenge is the extreme cost of transporting building materials to the Martian surface, which by the 2010s was estimated to be about US$2 million per brick.[6] While the gravity on Mars is lower than that on Earth, there are stronger solar radiation and temperature cycles, and high internal forces needed for pressurized habitats to contain air.[7]

To contend with these constraints, architects have worked to understand the right balance between in-situ materials and construction, and ex-situ to Mars.[8] For example, one idea is to use the locally available regolith to shield against radiation exposure, and another idea is to use transparent ice to allow non-harmful light to enter the habitat.[8] Mars habitat design can also involve the study of local conditions, including pressures, temperatures, and local materials, especially water.[8]

  1. ^ "Photo-s89_51054". Spaceflight.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 2000-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-08.
  2. ^ Changela, Hitesh G.; Chatzitheodoridis, Elias; Antunes, Andre; Beaty, David; Bouw, Kristian; Bridges, John C.; Capova, Klara Anna; Cockell, Charles S.; Conley, Catharine A.; Dadachova, Ekaterina; Dallas, Tiffany D. (December 2021). "Mars: new insights and unresolved questions". International Journal of Astrobiology. 20 (6): 394–426. arXiv:2112.00596. Bibcode:2021IJAsB..20..394C. doi:10.1017/S1473550421000276. ISSN 1473-5504. S2CID 244773061.
  3. ^ "3D-printable ice house could be our home on Mars". cnet.com. September 29, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  4. ^ Fecht, Sarah (2015-09-16). "8 Printable Martian Habitat Designs That We Want To Live In | Popular Science". Popsci.com. Retrieved 2015-11-08.
  5. ^ Shubber, Kadhim (2013-09-06). "Concept for underground Mars habitat marks dawn of Martian mole-people". Wired UK. Retrieved 2015-11-08.
  6. ^ "STRUCTURE magazine | Structural Challenges for Space Architecture". www.structuremag.org. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  7. ^ "STRUCTURE magazine | Structural Challenges for Space Architecture".
  8. ^ a b c "Habitat design – Mars ex-situ and in-situ resources utilization" (PDF).