Living on Mars Concept Takes Shape

Image Source: NASA

AI SpaceFactory, a New York-based design agency, won a NASA-organized 3D space printing competition focused on the concept of living on the Moon or Mars. AI SpaceFactory earned USD 500,000 for its efforts, and Penn State, the second-ranked winner, won USD 200,000. According to NASA, the awards came after a strenuous 30-hour competition in which participants constructed one-third of their architectural designs. Each team used robotic production techniques, which demonstrated that the process could work autonomously on other worlds with minimal human intervention. This habitat, called MARSHA by AI SpaceFactory, is designed to be elongated and narrow to reduce the need for transport operations required for construction on unfamiliar terrain. The structure is designed to be constructed on a vertically telescopic arm connected to a rover that remains stationary during construction. AI SpaceFactory plans to adapt the MARSHA design to an eco-friendly Earth habitat called Tera; the design agency announced that a major funding campaign will begin soon. "We've developed these technologies for space, but these new technologies have the potential to change the way we build on Earth," said David Malott, founder and Chief Executive Officer of AI SpaceFactory.

In a foreign environment at a distance of 54.6 million kilometers, construction and materials need to be completely rethought.

The discovery and settlement of Mars on any meaningful and sustainable scale will depend on the use of materials found on Mars. This is achieved through ISRU (in-situ resource utilization) technologies. ISRU overcomes the rigid constraints of the rocket equation, where approximately 90 kilograms of propulsion is required for every 10 kilograms of payload. Without ISRU, the cost of importing materials from Earth makes the project of extraterrestrial habitats impossible. To overcome this, space agencies and companies plan to send machines before human teams to collect raw Martian materials and convert them into habitats and other structures. Using technologies tested first on Earth, our future Mars habitats can be created before our arrival. The economic viability of Mars deployment and the creation of sufficiently large habitats depends on in-situ resource utilization. In collaboration with Techmer PM, the project is formulating an innovative blend of basalt fibers from Martian rock and renewable bioplastic (polylactic acid or PLA) processed from plants grown on Mars.

Key Features

• Basalt fiber is known for its excellent tensile strength. It is comparable to carbon fiber and kevlar but is much easier to produce. • Due to its low total atomic weight, plastics are effective shields against ionizing cosmic radiation. • PLA is a strong recyclable thermoplastic and has the advantage of on-site production. • PLA has the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion among plastics—critically important for achieving a composite effect with shredded basalt fiber, which is also highly stable. • Emissions from PLA printing, which is bioplastic, are benign, unlike petrochemical plastics that emit highly toxic microparticles such as styrene. • PLA is preferred because of its low conductivity, and basalt is among the most effective insulators known. Together, they provide protection against extreme external conditions.

MARSHA is a pioneering concept that rethinks what a living space on Mars can be.

In other words, MARSHA is not another low and wide dome or a closed, semi-buried structure, but a bright, multi-storey, open-plan living space that stands upright on the surface of Mars. While structures on Earth are primarily designed for gravity and wind, Mars conditions require an optimized structure to handle internal atmospheric pressure and thermal stresses. MARSHA's unique vertically oriented egg-shaped form maintains a small footprint that minimizes mechanical stresses on the base and top and increases in diameter toward the middle. Standing high on the surface gives the human team superior perspective to observe a dynamic landscape with weather patterns, clouds and changing color tones. The elongated and narrow construction reduces the need for a construction machine to move continuously on the surface, reduces risk, and increases speed and accuracy. These innovations challenge the traditional image of "space age" domes, focusing instead on the creation of spaces adapted to both the known and anticipated physical and psychological demands of a Mars mission. MARSHA uses a unique dual-shell system to isolate habitable areas from structural pressures caused by Mars's extreme temperature fluctuations.

Thanks to this separation, the internal environment is maintained in its simple and effective form by the outer shell.

Thus, the internal environment can be designed in traditional ways and freely configured for human needs. MARSHA's functional areas span four levels, each characterized by a unique internal atmosphere that promotes mobility and prevents monotony. From the large skylight above and through intermittent windows, the space between the two shells acts as a light well that connects all levels with diffused natural light. This unique space adds dimension to everyday life by allowing stairs to extend gradually from floor to floor.

Optimized Crew Health

The demanding flow of space-specific tasks reveals the stresses and challenges that need to be addressed spatially. However, as ongoing social and mental health is also a critical concern, MARSHA offers elements of surprise for the crew to escape an extremely rigid environment. MARSHA's layout is considered according to both of these principles. Each level features at least one window providing a 360-degree panoramic view. Indirect light from intermittent windows protects the space from harmful sunlight and cosmic radiation while fully illuminating the rooms. Designed to replicate Earth-like conditions, circadian lighting is used to maximize crew health. Prepared By: B. Serhat Cengiz References: • https://www.aispacefactory.com/marsha • https://www.space.com/nasa-3d-printed-habitat-competition-winners.html • https://www.businessinsider.com/mars-home-marsha-ai-spacefactory-3d-printed-nasa-2019-6 • https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/3DPHab/19-017.html