Martian Houses

Written 6/4/2021

A house on Mars needs to be secure and safe. Usually on Earth, we tend to put comfort before safety. However, on Mars, it’s the complete opposite.

For starters, Mars has no atmosphere. The lack of atmosphere on Mars allows large amounts of UV light to seep through. Long term exposure to UV light can cause permanent damage to your body. Such damage includes eye problems, liver spots, and possibly increases your chances of cancer; can also weaken your immune system. This is why protection is always above comfort. But a team that participated in NASA’s ‘Design A Martian House’ contest (AI SpaceFactory) had said that psychological care is also a factor in such an isolated place.

As we can see, being in an underground bunker for a long time can feel lonely and make you feel trapped. Which is why AI SpaceFactory has decided to put windows in their printable home. I can honestly agree with this decision, as windows give you a sense of escape. The feeling windows give is important on Mars because anyone that would want to live there first would want to feel welcomed; and windows do exactly that.

To design the perfect Martian home, let's begin the outline.

The first idea that comes to mind when thinking of a Mars house is, underground (well that’s what comes to my mind, at least). This because being underground means that you are well protected from the harmful UV rays that, luckily, can’t penetrate the ground. Though to implement the idea of having windows, leads to the fact that the house should probably be above ground. Overmore, building off of this constantly restated point, we should find the perfect material to build the outside of the house; that will hopefully protect us, and be a joy to be in.

Using the sources from AI SpaceFactory’s website, they revealed that the exterior of Marsha was built using a solid material called biopolymer.

“-- Made from a material called, biopolymer. A plastic usually made from vegetable starch.”

So with this malleable plastic, we can shape it in any way! Shaping the house like a dome would help, as research shows that domes can help with air pressure. Like Marsha, a beacon shaped house will allow for expansion and opportunity.

In conclusion, a Martian house requires both safety and comfort. A perfect house that is fit for every space explorer and every person looking for a home or a place to stay. A perfect place to call home. Better yet, on Mars.