How i think mars colonies will be established

[daniel l.]

First a small group of strong people will land on mars, Carrying along a bunch of machines to make bricks and cement from the martian rock and soil.

Then they build a dozen small cottage sized homes which they will link up to the life support system of their base

a couple months later a cargo ship carrying 24 people in suspended animation will arrive.

[rtxoff]

Spacetravel is not like Minecraft you know?

[FlyingPete]

If it proves possible to make bricks from Martian soil, it's certainly a cheap form of ISRU. If you could build a strong structure using these, you'd need only an inflatable inner shell to make it airtight- effectively the same as a bicycle inner tube.

[razark]

Then they build a dozen small cottage sized homes...

Once you get things going, you can start building down. Dig holes, and pile soil on top. It will help as radiation shielding.

If you could build a strong structure using these, you'd need only an inflatable inner shell to make it airtight- effectively the same as a bicycle inner tube.

Building underground would also help with this. Since the temperature underground would remain below freezing, any moisture in the air leaking out would condense and then freeze, making the system self-sealing.

[Bill Phil]

First a small group of strong people will land on mars, Carrying along a bunch of machines to make bricks and cement from the martian rock and soil.

Then they build a dozen small cottage sized homes which they will link up to the life support system of their base

a couple months later a cargo ship carrying 24 people in suspended animation will arrive.

Strong guys are typically bigger, and need more resources to live. And why send them when unmanned builders are viable and cheaper?

[razark]

Strong guys are typically bigger, and need more resources to live. And why send them when unmanned builders are viable and cheaper?

Besides that, Mars gravity is significantly lower. Moving heavy loads will be easier for everyone.

[sj176]

If anyone here has read The Case for Mars by Robert Zubrin, I think that lays it out quite nicely. Mars Direct seems like a brilliant plan to me but I'm not exactly an expert.

Edited May 3, 2015 by sj176