Habitat

Initial

On landing on Mars after the initial structural integrity tests will be the linking to the other habitats and resource modules already in situ as the life support of the lander will be limited due to the landing weight limitations.

How long is required to set up the base?

First requirements will be Oxygen, Water and Energy.

quickly followed by food and sanitation

After the initial landings there will be a requirement to increase the working human environment mainly to provide food.

Habitats will need to be sealed and pressurized, heavily-insulated and heated, shielded against solar and cosmic radiation, self-sufficient in terms of water, power and other essentials, and built (as much as possible) using local resources - aka. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).

Issues for Human Habitat use are pressure, temperature and the equipment require to build and sustain them. surprisingly living on Mars, radiation is less of an issue.

To build these Habitats will also require sufficient energy supply and plant to enable the pressurisation from either the thin air or from the regolith

The production of Oxygen and Water and Nitrogen

Atmosphere:

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 95.3%

Nitrogen (N) 2.7%

Argon (Ar) 1.6%

Oxygen (O2) 0.13%

Carbon Monoxide (CO) 0.07%

Water (H2O) 0.03%

Neon (Ne) 0.00025%

Krypton (Kr) 0.00003%

Xeon (Xe) 0.000008%

0.1 psi (earth 14 psi)

Temperature:

Average 218K (-55C -67F)

Max daytime 300K (27C 81F)

Typical daily range from -22F to -122F, (-3OOC to -8OOC)

Regolith:

Silicon Dioxide 50%

Iron Oxide 16%

Peroxide

Radiation

You needn't fry on Mars. Readings from NASA's Curiosity rover suggest radiation levels on the Red Planet are about the same as those in low Earth orbit, where astronauts hang out for months on the International Space Station.

Unlike Earth, Mars has no magnetosphere shielding it from solar and galactic radiation. But it does have a thin atmosphere, and readings from two of Curiosity's instruments suggest this provides some protection.

The Martian surface radiation daily average of GCR( galactic cosmic rays) dose is of the order 0.67 millisieverts (1 millisievert = 0.1 rem)

Possible Habitats

Prefabricated Module

Underground

Inflatable

Domes

Prefabricated Module

The initial living space will be provided by modules landed intact, it has been suggested that inflatable habitats can be also added but these will require a significant level of construction.

Marsha is a proposal for a habitat on the surface of Mars built autonomously using local and mission-generated materials.

3D printed Habitat MARSHA

airlock and seals.

The ability to Manufacture all the required needs will be paramount , Living off the Land (In Situ Resources) will need to be up and running quickly, some items will be part built by early robotic missions to close to the first human base on Mars.

Basic human needs

Air, Water, Food, warmth and sanitation

These items are all needed from the moment you step out onto Mars.The most pressing needs will be energy for the production of breathable air and energy to keep the habitats warm, Recycling of human waste for food growth will be an urgency as well.

Large areas will be required to be built up quickly for production of Food. Increasing Water production from the basic systems will also need to be an early goal.

Sleep

Sleeping on Mars should not be much of a problem, unlike the rough time the Apollo astronauts had on the Moon in their cramped, noisy Lunar Lander and continuous daylight.

Taking a thin mattress or a hammock from Earth and ear plugs and the regulation sleeping bag from you flight to Mars is maybe all that is required as every room will have to have a complex environmental system for air and temperature supplied from Earth. Designing a Mars mattress will take time as it will probably require some form of plastic material, Plastics on Mars will require some power hungry chemical and mining plant, but once up and running, things we take for granted like chairs, tables, plates and all manner of household items will be made.

Clothes

Having a nice wardrobe on Mars will be a while, just cleaning clothes will be a problem, some sort of washing machine and detergent will be needed, again chemical manufacture will be a prerequisite.

Medium term major basic needs

Beyond having somewhere to survive in and sleep there will be rapid need for additional habitat expansion, recreation and fitness gyms, communal relaxation space, Dental surgery, infirmary.

Also manufacture plant for important aspects for living on Mars like Spares for spacesuits, airlock maintenance, additional lighting, toilet paper, toothpaste.

Links

ExploreMarsNow