- NASA plans for building a Habitat on Mars using bioplastic
- AI Space Factory design called MARSHA
- 3D Printed luxurious future Mars colonies
We can’t carry everything we’ll need to construct an environment outside of Earth, so it’s tricky to create a habitat for humans outside of Earth. The rockets would become too heavy and expensive if equipped with tools, concrete, and machines. Current costs for launching materials into low Earth orbit range from $4,000 to over $100,000, and more than $100,000 to send them to Mars. In order to build infrastructure on a budget once we arrive, we’ll need innovative solutions.
Dozens of experts have proposed the design of a living environment on Mars. Like the chitin mixture, almost all of them rely on materials science to transform dusty Martian soil into a cement-like mixture. AI Space Factory, an agency that designs 3D-printed buildings for NASA, won the NASA 3D Printed Habitat Challenge with its design called MARSHA, a 3D printed model of an egg-shaped building that could house astronauts on Mars one day.
The AI SpaceFactory developed a 3D printer that could print a multistory house on Mars from basalt fiber produced from Martian rocks and PLA bioplastic derived from plants that grow on Mars. Compared to concrete, the material is two to three times stronger and five times more durable.
AI SpaceFactory CEO David Malott says, “These technologies were developed for space, but they could revolutionize the way we construct structures on Earth. By using natural, biodegradable building materials, we could eliminate the waste of unrecyclable concrete produced by the building industry and restore our planet.”
With its state-of-the-art, full-service 3D printing construction service, SpaceFactory combines robotics, control algorithms, materials, and design innovations. Hence, printing the Marsha habited is cheaper, more sustainable, and safer than other construction methods. It also makes it easier to construct on Mars using local materials. As we cannot carry all the materials, we need to build homes on Mars, which is a crucial consideration for future missions.
3D print technology, remote monitoring and control, data analytics, machine perception, and intelligence are possible for more comprehensive autonomous applications.
Consequently, habitats on Mars will be capable of self-construction without much human involvement. Our first Mars colonies will likely be sparsely populated and only contain the few key scientists necessary to make the mission successful.
Despite the habitat’s size, its interior is lush and spacious. You could imagine the habitat to belong to some luxurious eco-project.
