Humanising the Mars base is important.

louis · 2017-05-15 17:42:03

In considering the technical aspects of Mars colonisation we sometimes neglect the human element.

I think making the base an attractive and inspiring place to live will be important for:

1. Group morale.

2. A sense of focus on the mission.

3. Attracting settlers from Earth.

4. Attracting businesses and research facilities to locate on Mars.

Although the Mars exterior is inhospitable to life on any scale, there is much that can be done to create something aesthetically pleasing and inspirational.

An imposing monument - a large rock which could be polished up - could be placed at a central location, on which the names of each pioneer could be carved. Perhaps that could become a ceremonial aspect of moving to Mars, that you have your name carved on this central monument on arrival - or even better after one year.

Roadways within the base could be marked out with painted kerbstones or coloured rocks.

Artificial trees and bushes could be "planted". Or some trees and bushes might be grown under glass.

A sculpture park could be established.

Mosaics could be created on rock faces on the surface.

The base could be lit at night in coloured lights.

A sports hab could host sports like basketball, netball, badminton and indoor football. The hab could also be used for music concerts and lectures.

An arts hab could exhibit art works, including art works transmitted from Earth which would appear on video screens.

Last edited by louis (2017-05-15 17:43:35)

SpaceNut · 2017-05-15 19:15:55

Individual space for one to call a room.

If no windows to see mars with then do an artificial window by using an extra video display and a camera to allow one to see sun rise and sun set with.

Create a Mars music band.

kbd512 · 2017-05-15 19:25:30

There's an app for the new flexible display tech. Put cameras around the outside of the habitat module and anywhere you put the display on the wall should show you a view of the outside world. That way, you stay behind the radiation barrier. You get 10% EVA time per week, which is still nearly 17 hours per week to play golf, collect rocks, watch sunrises and sunsets, etc.

louis · 2017-05-16 03:22:41

Yes, I think an artificial window is better than no window.

SpaceNut wrote:

Individual space for one to call a room.
If no windows to see mars with then do an artificial window by using an extra video display and a camera to allow one to see sun rise and sun set with.
Create a Mars music band.

louis · 2017-05-16 03:24:13

If we can make getting into a spacesuit less of an ordeal, then yes EVA time would be important. Failing that, taking a ride in the equivalent of a dune buggy might be fun.

kbd512 wrote:

There's an app for the new flexible display tech. Put cameras around the outside of the habitat module and anywhere you put the display on the wall should show you a view of the outside world. That way, you stay behind the radiation barrier. You get 10% EVA time per week, which is still nearly 17 hours per week to play golf, collect rocks, watch sunrises and sunsets, etc.

RobertDyck · 2017-05-16 05:52:25

I've argued for windows. An apartment would have a large window so you could see outside. A small overhang for the roof, like the soffit of a normal house on Earth, but instead of blocking rain, a Mars roof would hold 2.4 meter deep regolith for radiation shielding. And the window would be tempered glass so it wouldn't get scratched by debris during a dust storm. With 2 panes of glass, the space filled with mineral oil. That's how the window of a radiation hot cell is made. Lead barium glass is used to block X-rays. Space doesn't have much X-rays. Gamma rays cause leaded glass to darken, so radiation hot cells that work with gamma use a zinc-bromide (ZnBr2) solution in a glass tank to shield against high energy gamma.

Wikipedia: Hot Cell

In order to view what is in the hot cell, cameras can be used (but these require replacing on a regular basis) or most commonly, lead glass is used. There are several densities for lead glass, but the most common is 5.2 g/cm3. A rough calculation for lead equivalence would be to multiply the Pb thickness by 2.5 (e.g. 10 mm Pb would require a 25 mm thick lead glass window). Older hot cells used a ZnBr2 solution in a glass tank to shield against high-energy gamma rays. This shielded the radiation without darkening the glass (as happens to leaded glass with exposure). This solution also "self-repairs" any damage caused by radiation interaction, but leads to optical distortion due to the difference in optical indices of the solution and glass.

Standard Guide for Dry Lead Glass and Oil-Filled Lead Glass Radiation Shielding Window Components for Remotely Operated Facilities

Mineral oil with hydrogen in the compound is better for neutron and GCR particle radiation. Mineral oil can get cloudy over time when exposed to radiation, so the window should be designed so it can be drained and refilled with fresh oil.

Again, this is for permanent settlement. Radiation on the surface of Mars is half that of ISS. And the nastiest form of radiation is heavy ion galactic cosmic radiation, which is blocked by Mars atmosphere 90% at a high altitude location such as Meridiani Planum where Opportunity landed, or 98% at a low altitude location such as Utopia Planetia or Elysium Planetia. So a science mission would take simple precautions such as sand bags on the habitat roof and spectrally selective coating on windows. That's really all you need.

Last edited by RobertDyck (2017-05-16 06:00:23)

Oldfart1939 · 2017-05-16 07:12:56

First and foremost is adequate shielding from the long term effects of GCR. Emotional/psychological support should be provided through having a space to call one's own; SpaceNut suggested something similar to individual rooms, making everything seem less regimented. Having some modicum of personal privacy occasionally is necessary. Having some indoor green plants would be very helpful reminders of home, in addition to providing a trace of atmospheric purification. I really don't care for having the base illuminated at night for several reasons, but the first of which is the energy drain from other needs. Secondly, we may choose to set up a robotic telescope for an observatory, and too much stray light detracts from that activity. Tastefully colored and decorated interiors would also help; cheerful colors go a long way in psychological support. But as others have already stated, windows! Personal garden patches within the greenhouse facility, and allow some personal selection as to what's grown. Some individuals may prefer parsnips to ordinary carrots, or white radishes as opposed to red radishes; beets instead of turnips, etc. Having some even slight variety in diet--of personal choice--goes a long way in maintenance of morale.

louis · 2017-05-16 14:17:44

Some nice ideas there.

I don't think illumination of the base would be a problem. Given the lack of ambient light during darksol, you wouldn't need to expend much energy on illuminating the main buildings. Not for Mission One perhaps, but later. Also, you could switch it off if you want to look at the night sky. But without clouds, I doubt the light would have much effect on a telescope pointed upwards...

Oldfart1939 wrote:

First and foremost is adequate shielding from the long term effects of GCR. Emotional/psychological support should be provided through having a space to call one's own; SpaceNut suggested something similar to individual rooms, making everything seem less regimented. Having some modicum of personal privacy occasionally is necessary. Having some indoor green plants would be very helpful reminders of home, in addition to providing a trace of atmospheric purification. I really don't care for having the base illuminated at night for several reasons, but the first of which is the energy drain from other needs. Secondly, we may choose to set up a robotic telescope for an observatory, and too much stray light detracts from that activity. Tastefully colored and decorated interiors would also help; cheerful colors go a long way in psychological support. But as others have already stated, windows! Personal garden patches within the greenhouse facility, and allow some personal selection as to what's grown. Some individuals may prefer parsnips to ordinary carrots, or white radishes as opposed to red radishes; beets instead of turnips, etc. Having some even slight variety in diet--of personal choice--goes a long way in maintenance of morale.

SpaceNut · 2017-05-16 18:19:35

While flowering plants will not feed you they are something that can be shared out in the open communal areas for all to enjoy and care for to aid in peace and tranquility of mind from being closed up and not being able to go outside every day...
I do like Oldfart1939's suggestion to grow a few extra special crop items as a personal favorite items to consume when they are ready for harvest.

RobertDyck · 2017-05-16 19:44:42

The Mars Homestead Project proposed this as the final result of construction. Individual apartment, with window at one end. Apartment show with hardwood floor, which is actually bamboo.

Base atrium, buried deep within the hillside, with light pipes leading to a diffuser at the apex of each groin arch. So natural light even though it is buried. With trees and green plants.

louis · 2017-05-17 03:17:13

Loving the bamboo floor - bamboo should be an early crop for Mars.

RobertDyck wrote:

The Mars Homestead Project proposed this as the final result of construction. Individual apartment, with window at one end. Apartment show with hardwood floor, which is actually bamboo.
http://www.marshome.org/images2/albums/ … age026.jpg
Base atrium, buried deep within the hillside, with light pipes leading to a diffuser at the apex of each groin arch. So natural light even though it is buried. With trees and green plants.
http://www.marshome.org/images2/albums/ … age029.jpg

RobertDyck · 2017-05-17 08:44:26

Re humanizing the Mars base, I've argued for some "luxury" food crops. I posted this in Crops. An herb garden would grow spices. Fenugreek is a spice used in Indian cooking, but the seeds can be used to make imitation maple extract. Procedure: warm (not roast) fenugreek seeds in a frying pan, grind in a coffee grinder, then soak in vodka for 3 months. When done, strain then add vanilla extract. You can make maple flavour pancake syrup with brown or golden yellow (light brown) sugar, hot water, and imitation maple extract. Artificial vanilla extract is produced on Earth as a byproduct of the paper industry. It's too difficult to make on a small Mars base, so the easiest way to produce it on Mars is to grow real vanilla bean. Growing the real thing would be quite a treat. To make vanilla extract, add chopped vanilla bean to vodka, soak for months and strain. One single vanilla vine will produce enough for a base of 12 to 100 people.

Other spices:

chili powder
cumin
black pepper (pepper corns & ground)
cayenne
oregano
coriander - aka cilantro
cream of tartar - made from grapes
parsley
sesame
garlic: cloves, powder

One use for cream of tartar is to make baking powder: baking soda + starch + cream of tartar.

elderflower · 2017-05-17 09:00:07

Is that what they grow in the Antarctic bases?

RobertDyck · 2017-05-17 09:54:44

Antarctica grows vegetables. I also listed vegetables. A permanent settlement would grow fruits, vegetables, berries, a variety of foods. NASA may not like it, but I included vodka, red wine, and even beer. Today can buy a home distillation unit, about the size of a bread maker. It uses a fan blowing air across a heat sink for cooling, so no cold water. It distills a gallon of wine into a bottle of brandy. Or a gallon of "distillers beer" into whisky. The difference between distiller's beer and regular beer is yeast and hops. In beer, hops is preservative. Whisky has enough alcohol that it doesn't need hops. Sometimes hops are added as flavour anyway, but usually whisky doesn't have hops. Distillers yeast tolerates more alcohol so the "beer" has more to start with.

Vodka has many applications. Maple and vanilla extracts are just a couple. You can make vodka from any starch, but it requires amylase to break down starch into malt. The usual source of amylase is barley sprouts. So some barley is used to make potato vodka.

Oldfart1939 · 2017-05-17 10:40:31

I mentioned elsewhere that an early export product from Mars could be "Martian Mist," a tasty Vodka either made synthetically from Martian atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, or even better--Mars grown potatoes! For that "unique flavor," you know!

Last edited by Oldfart1939 (2017-05-17 10:41:46)

elderflower · 2017-05-17 13:23:07

You had better cooperate with the Russians to secure access to the big Vodka market over there!

Oldfart1939 · 2017-05-17 13:32:35

Actually, Finland has a higher rate of Vodka consumption!

elderflower · 2017-05-17 13:35:18

There aren't so many of them, though.
It occurs to me that Martian Moonshine might be a problem. How bright is Phobos viewed from the surface of Mars? You might have to paint it white. Then you could add somebody's ad slogan on it, and beam pictures across the solar system - for an enormous fee.

Last edited by elderflower (2017-05-17 13:40:53)

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#1 2017-05-15 17:42:03

Humanising the Mars base is important.

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Re: Humanising the Mars base is important.

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