Mars Manufacturing Settlement

Date

2021-07-12

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

50th International Conference on Environmental Systems

Abstract

Envisioning a future Mars city and manufacturing center as if it were already built, this paper describes Leominster, a settlement accommodating several hundred people. The paper defines the potential manufacturing systems, technologies, and economic value of a Mars settlement. It also addresses the challenges of safety, pressure, temperature and radiation, which are often ignored in other designs. Novel architectural systems involved in Leominster�s design include: regolith-based masonry, bricks, fiberglass, and ceramics made with a solar furnace. The settlement also uses cement, metals, regolith for shielding, and SpaceX Starships or similar landing craft in its construction. A new aspect of the design is a spacious park with the canopy tied down with cables, resembling a cathedral, as an answer to the hard-to-build domes of other designs. Some of the architectural elements are borrowed from previous Mars Foundation designs. There is significant reliance on plastics and carbon-based materials for polymer membranes, plastics, food, fuel, fabrics, and even fungi-mycelium-based furnishings. Such a Mars manufacturing settlement could demonstrate economical construction and living methods beyond the Earth. This could lead to economic development and spreading of life throughout the solar system.

Description

Bruce Mackenzie, Mars Foundation
Kolemann Lutz, Mars University
Georgi Petrov, Synthesis International,
Bart Leahy, Mars Foundation
Stuart Feldman, SciFiIndustrial
ICES502: Space Architecture
The 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held virtually on 12 July 2021 through 14 July 2021.

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Keywords

Mars�architecture, Mars�settlement, in-situ�manufacturing, polymer synthesis, Solar sintering, Fiberglass

Citation