Some companies from around the world have shared futuristic designs for human bases on Mars.
Establishing a human base on Mars has long been a long-term project for scientists. For centuries, humanity has sought to explore the dusty, desolate surface of Mars since Galileo discovered it in 1610.
Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has previously expressed his desire to create a base on Mars capable of housing over 1 million people by 2050.
People are asking what such a base would look like if constructed. Some opinions suggest that it would include large 3D-printed buildings, equipped with 55-inch televisions, gyms, and areas for cultivation…
Below are some of the most creative and feasible ideas for building a base on Mars.
Mars base designed by ICON.
The base, developed by the startup ICON, based in Texas in collaboration with NASA, is a spacious 3D-printed structure designed to create living environments in outer space under conditions of limited building materials.
Experts are constructing a test room of approximately 158 square meters at the Johnson Space Center in Texas, which simulates the harsh environmental conditions of Mars.
In August, NASA announced that they were looking for applicants to participate in a year-long project to live in a simulated base mimicking life on the Red Planet, expected to commence in the fall of 2020.
There will be three missions, each consisting of four crew members living and working in the 3D-printed base. The crew’s tasks include simulated spacewalks, scientific research, utilizing virtual reality, controlling robots, and exchanging communications.
Jason Ballard, co-founder of ICON, stated: “This is the most high-fidelity simulated living environment ever built by humans. The project serves a very specific purpose: to prepare humanity for living on another planet.”
Mars base by billionaire Elon Musk.
Billionaire Elon Musk recently unveiled plans to send the future Noah’s Ark to Mars, but received much criticism. Detractors argue that it is not a novel idea and is extremely difficult to achieve in the future. Musk aims to establish the base by 2028.
Mars base designed by Open Architecture.
The Mars base designed by Open Architecture, based in Beijing, collaborates with the Chinese tech giant Xiaomi.
The base was unveiled in 2018 as a compact living space measuring 2.3m x 2.3m x 1.98m.
The base features inflatable bubbles that can expand, contract, and fold up like a suitcase. Inside, there is a main living area that includes a bathroom, workspace, seating, and storage.
Residents will use smartphones to control the electronic devices in the base.
Mars Base 1 by C-Space, China.
The simulated base built in the Gobi Desert of China is a complex covering 53,330 square meters. The Chinese space agency hopes this base will become a hub for researchers and explorers to experience the harsh environment of Mars.
Mars base by Swiss scientists.
The Mars base developed by scientists from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland will be constructed by robots that will extract natural resources from the Red Planet. Only after that will they send crews to Mars to live for at least 9 months.
The research facility will consist of three different modules, with the main component being a central core 12.5 meters tall and 5 meters in diameter. Three living spaces will house all essential materials and goods, attached to the central core.
