N�wa, a self-sustainable city state on Mars � Development concept, Urban design and life support

Date

7/12/2021

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

50th International Conference on Environmental Systems

Abstract

Mars is one of the current targets for human space exploration. The first settlement will most likely include a small group of explorers, but with time, it is reasonable to assume that a city on Mars might grow and become a reality. N�wa is a project of the Sustainable Off-world Network (SONet), a network of interdisciplinary and international professionals, dedicated to the development of sustainable human settlements beyond Earth. This project focuses on engineering and architecture, but also on sustainable growth planning of a society on the red planet. The design consists of five cities, with 200.000 inhabitants each. Different locations strategically selected ensure in-situ resource utilization. The city concept is based on a tunneling system on cliffs. The design of a big city in the harsh Mars environment poses several challenges and is a complex and broad task, and further research in all fields is further required. This paper focuses on three aspects of the design, urban planning, Life Support and sustainable growth. The infrastructure in the city needs to provide a safe environment for the inhabitants, but also provide all required services and a practical and enjoyable place to live. This imposes challenges to the resilience of the system and the availability of resources as well as construction methods suitable for installing the desired infrastructure. The integration of the Life Support System, mainly based on biological elements, within the city for the provision of oxygen, water and food is crucial. Finally, the size of the city requires a sustainable growth plan, regarding materials and energy. As a result of this study, a first order of magnitude of the local resources to be incorporated per inhabitant is estimated, setting the baseline values for key quantities to be considered in future studies.

Description

Gisela Detrell, Institute of Space Systems - University of Stuttgart
Alfredo Mu�oz, ABIBOO Studio
Miquel Banchs-Piqu�, School of Civil Engineering and Surveying (SCES), University of Portsmouth
Guillem Anglada-Escud�, Institute of Space Sciences (ICE - CSIC)
Philipp Hartlieb, Montanuniversitaet Leoben
Miquel Sureda, Anfres Technical University of Catalonia (UPC)
ICES502: Space Architecture
The 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held virtually on 12 July 2021 through 14 July 2021.

Keywords

Mars city, Sustainability, Urban Design, Life Support, city growth plan

Citation