It probably goes without saying that the first homes on Mars will be built for substance rather than style, so what will these humble abodes look like?
Since the first settlers on the Red Planet will not be able to rely on Earth for resources, houses must be self-sustaining, providing oxygen, water and food.
In other words, ugly. Imagine an igloo made from red brick. But that doesn’t mean they have to be uncomfortable. Maybe some nice window treatments, an accent rug, throw pillows here and there…The possibilities are endless!
I realize that at first we won’t have to worry about next door neighbors or friends just dropping by but SERIOUSLY, people! How about some PRIVACY?
The settlers will have to take equipment with them, dehumidifiers to pull water from the air, oxygen generators and 3-D printers. Stephen Petranek, author of How We’ll Live on Mars says that 3-D printers will be absolutely necessary for Martians. National Geographic erected a home based on Petranek’s ideas as research for a new miniseries about the Red Planet.
The first homes will be built from a cement mixture using the Martian soil, combined with recycled spacecraft parts. Features include a double air-locked entrance, a small cooking area and a bed.
Cozy. Let’s hope the beds are big enough for our Significant Others, tricks du jour, one-night stands. But I digress.
The entrance is necessary to protect Martians from the poisonous atmosphere, freezing temperatures and from having red dirt everywhere. The downstairs “basement” will house the heaters, oxygen generators and dehumidifiers.
NASA plans to send people to the Red Planet in the 2030’s, but they and Petranek aren’t the only ones striving to go to our nearest neighbor. Elon Musk has also entered the race to Mars. His Space X company plans to put people on Mars as early as 2025. Earlier this month, Space X resumed stage testing of a Falcon 9 rocket, which failed during a September 1 test. Musk claims Space X claims they will be able to travel from Earth to Mars in only 80 days.
It will be a great day to see people walk on Mars, even if it isn’t me. I removed the Red Planet and the moon from my bucket list a long time ago. Perhaps it won’t be too far in the future, we LGBT folks turn the Red Planet into the Pink Planet.