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#1 2026-01-15 07:35:43
- tahanson43206
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Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
This topic is inspired by a suggestion from kbd512.
In discussion of domes that might be built on Mars, kbd512 suggested building a half-torus shaped structure.
Calliban had suggested a dome the size of the famous Superbowl at New Orleans.
Calliban's design would employ all native materials for the structure, and it would employ no imported materials at all for the primary structure.
kbd512's concept would employ a blend of local and imported materials.
This topic is offered for NewMars members who might wish to help kbd512 develop his idea.
It would be helpful to know the dimensions of the structure kbd512 has in mind.
The torus will have a diameter, and the ring of the torus will have a diameter.
In this early stage of definition of the concept, we do not know if kbd512 has a shape in mind for the cross section of the half ring.
Calliban has suggested a catenary shape so that forces are distributed evenly throughout the material of the wall of the ring.
This topic has significant growth potential.
The Stanford Torus is a model to study, since it dealt with many of the issues that will confront the designer of a half ring set on Mars.
I asked Google for help with the terminology:
AI Overview
Torus Shape – Definition, Examples, and Diagrams
A torus has two main diameters: the Major Diameter, which defines the overall size (center-to-center of the tube), and the Minor Diameter, which determines the thickness of the tube itself, often called the tube diameter or core diameter. These correspond to the Major Radius (distance from center of hole to center of tube) and Minor Radius (radius of the tube's cross-section) respectively.
Key Terms:
In the context of Calliban's dome, diameter is 200 meters at the ground, and the height is 120 meters.
The major and minor diameters remain to be defined for kbd512's ring habitat.
(th)
Last edited by tahanson43206 (2026-01-15 07:41:23)
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#2 2026-01-15 07:36:21
- tahanson43206
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members.
Index:
(th)
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#3 2026-01-15 15:03:18
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
Here is what was in the re-purposed starship stainless shell.
If we provide 125m^3 of pressurized volume for each family of 4, then we need approximately 10 Super Domes worth of pressurized volume to house a million people. Domes tend to have a lot of unusable space, though. What about a ring?
This sounds just like what a caretaker doughnut design from empty starships would be.
Leave the crewed ship in the center of what is constructed from the ships hull materials.
The proposed project of creating a 9-meter stainless steel doughnut cross-section with a crewed starship in the center, utilizing materials from unused cargo ships, is not technically feasible using current industrial and engineering methods.
Here are the key reasons why this concept is impractical:
Material Limitations:
Steel Type: The steel used in standard cargo ships is not typically high-grade stainless steel suitable for precision aerospace or habitat construction. It is standard structural steel, which has different properties regarding corrosion resistance, strength-to-weight ratio, and material consistency.
Repurposing Difficulty: While steel can be recycled, melting down and reshaping massive cargo ship hulls into a precise, large-scale, high-quality "doughnut" cross-section requires specialized industrial remelting processes (like electroslag remelting for high-grade applications) that are complex and costly, making on-site or large-scale transformation unfeasible.
Material Integrity: The structural integrity of repurposing cut and welded sections of existing cargo ships for such a specific, high-stress application (especially if intended for space or extreme environments) would be difficult to guarantee without extensive and costly engineering.
Engineering and Design Challenges:
Structural Requirements: Designing a 9-meter "doughnut" structure to house a starship would have highly specific operational and stiffness requirements that repurposed, potentially compromised, cargo ship materials cannot easily meet.
Scale and Precision: The precision needed for a 9-meter cross-section that interacts seamlessly with a crewed starship is immense. Achieving this precision by modifying large, existing, non-uniform cargo ship sections is impractical.
Feasibility vs. New Construction: It would be significantly more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective to produce the necessary components using new, purpose-built stainless steel designed for the specific application rather than attempting to salvage and heavily modify existing ship parts.
In summary, the foundational materials and engineering processes required to create such a specific, high-specification structure from generic, used cargo ships make the project technologically unviable.What challenges are
You will need 4 sections of the 60 m tube to achieve a total length of 240 m. The final circle will have an approximate diameter of \(76.4\) m.
Step 1: Calculate material needs First, determine the total length of tubing required. The user's desired circumference is 240 meters. The calculation confirms that exactly 4 of the 60-meter tubes are needed to reach this length. The 9 m diameter of the individual tubes is the cross-sectional diameter, not the circle's final diameter.
Step 2: Join the tubes Join the four 60-meter stainless steel tubes end-to-end to create one continuous 240-meter length. This is typically done by welding the joints, which requires specific techniques for stainless steel.
Step 3: Form the circle The 240-meter length of tube must be mechanically bent or rolled into a circular shape. Given the large scale, specialized industrial equipment for bending large diameter, thick-walled (implied by 9m diameter) steel is necessary.
Step 4: Cut and finish A final, precise cut will be needed to join the two ends of the 240-meter length after it is formed into the circle. For cutting stainless steel tubes, common methods include using a portable band saw or an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel, applying slow speed and cutting oil to manage the material's hardness and heat.
Answer: You will need to use 4 of the 60 m tubes to achieve a total length of 240 m. The final circle made from this length will have a diameter of approximately \(76.4\) m (\(240/\pi \)). The tubes must be joined end-to-end and then formed into the circular shape, requiring precise cuts and welding to secure the final joint
That means the inside diameter is 76.4 - 18 = 54 m diameter
The volume of the doughnut shape is approximately 15268.14 cubic meters.
Make 3 floors similar to a submarine flight decks. Assume that the three are 2.5 meters ceiling to floor for each.
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#4 2026-01-15 15:05:28
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
For kbd512 re post in SpaceNut's Superdome topic ...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 62#p237162
Nice vision !!!
I hope that it comes to pass.
It certainly ** could ** come to pass.
As a reminder, Calliban's dome has varied in population but the starting number is 1000.
The logistics of providing sewer service, heating, water, power, communications and interior structures (ie, living and retails space) seem to lead toward solving the 1000 person population problem before advancing to something greater.
Thus your vision of a population of 1,000,000 people could be realized with 1000 domes. Mars has ** plenty ** of room for that many domes, since they are only 200 meters in diameter. That said, it appears that siting the domes in craters has advantages.
Calliban's vision was to create the domes out of locally sourced material, which led to his initial idea of bricks, followed by the suggestion of "voudrois" shaped blocks. Calliban's concept includes the Ziggurat ramps to facilitate construction while simultaneously providing force to resist the internal pressure of .5 bar for the standard Mars habitat atmosphere.
In any case, it is good to see SpaceNut's topic developing, and your post adds to the flow.
(th)
For kbd512 ... There is a new topic available if you would care to develop your ideas for a ring shaped habitat on Mars...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=11287
Please begin by setting the dimensions so that others can begin to help to build up a vision of the idea.
The Stanford Torus may be larger than you have in mind, but is a well developed model that might provide inspiration for your concept.
Unlike Calliban's dome, your concept appears to have potential for construction outside a Crater.
It will definitely be interesting to see what members do with the concept, but it needs dimensions so that folks have something to work with.
(th)
Since the details were missed for number of meters for the number. which was above my information in the quote.
If we provide 125m^3 of pressurized volume for each family of 4,
Math: 1000 / 4 = 250 family units but that does nothing else other than house people....
250x 125 m^3 = 31,250 cubic meters of volume
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#5 2026-01-15 15:12:33
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
You also missed the secondary choice to bring all materials
SpaceNut,
I was thinking of using a combination of 304L from the expended Starships and indigenous materials in a "space frame" design wherein the Starship steel provides external structural support so that locally-sourced cast basalt tiles interlock into the space frame and are pressed outwards and into the space frame by internal pressurization, with sealing accomplished using either a thin internal layer of stainless sheet steel welded into the space frame, over the top of the inner tile faces, or a Silicone-based adhesive sealant could also be used. We can bring enough 304L and Silicone sealant from Earth to build this kind of structure by scrapping / recycling the Starships. I don't think it's feasible to bring enough concrete or basalt tiles, hence why that material must be locally sourced.
Do you remember the structure of the "Biosphere 2" built in Arizona?
So, imagine that we create a giant ring-shaped habitat, rather than a Super Dome, so as to keep tensile stresses sane, so as to economize on recycled steel, so as to allow us to safely use cast basalt tiles without the thickness of said tiles needing to greatly resemble the stones used to build the pyramids. This maximizes internal volume, minimizes material consumption. We can still build a Super Dome from locally sourced meteorite Nickel-steel, but for sake of argument presume that we can only handle local production of indigenous liquid water, atmospheric gases, and one construction material that we only have to melt and cast into a limited number of molds. More could always be done using more equipment and labor, but we have to bring those things with us.
That changes everything for what is going to be required as well.
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#6 2026-01-15 22:00:36
- kbd512
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
This Stanford Torus structure artistic rendering from Nichlas Benjamin is more in line with what I had in mind for the exterior support rest of the habitation ring:
Except that I wanted a shape that maximizes usable floor space, which implies more of a D-shaped toroidal structure, like a tokamak.
The interior of this D-shaped tokamak is broadly similar to what I had in mind:
The structure would only be one or perhaps two stories high, with the bottom of the torus housing water piping and the top housing electrical power cables, data cables, and light pipes.
Try to visualize all those interior metal electromagnet "tiles" being replaced with cast basalt tiles:
The interior would be lined with cast basalt tiles like these:
Basalt can be cast into relatively complex shapes and has a strikingly beautiful natural appearance:
So, basic concept is as follows:
1. D-shaped torus to provide more usable floor space without an excessive number of floors requiring elevators, with reduced structural materials strength and therefore mass requirements, relative to a Super Dome.
2. Starship's 304L stainless steel is converted into a tubular exoskeleton / space frame. The external frame is intended to allow for thermal expansion and contraction in the Martian temperature extremes between day and night.
3. Cast basalt tiles / blocks are inserted into the frame and sealed using Silicone caulk.
4. Liquid CO2 will be pumped through the space frame in an attempt to improve upon the room temperature strength of 304L, and to regulate its temperature to avoid excessive expansion and contraction. We want to keep that stainless cold, definitely below zero, because it's weaker than A36 at room temperature, but not mildly cryogenic because we start to lose ductility and we definitely want to keep that. We're after about 517MPa to 621MPa. We don't go any colder than is required to achieve that yield strength.
5. The structure size / progression is ultimately limited by the number of arriving Starships. We have around 70t of the right kind of material to work with per Starship. The engines are higher grades of stainless that would be repurposed for making fasteners, tooling, and molds.
304L Temperature vs Yield Stress for Conventional 304L (green) and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (red):
As the graph above shows, laser sintering of 304 powder delivers high yield strength, partially due to formation of martensite, but we don't want martensite formation in a steel exposed to cryogenic temperatures, so we're sticking with a conventional cold-rolled seamless tubing material produced in a miniature electric arc furnace that accepts bits of recycled Starship hull scrap steel. The yield strength mechanical property is reduced, but that other important metallurgical property, namely an austenitic grain structure which confers ductility at very low temperatures, is more important for our application than pure tensile strength, which we are "thermally improving" by keeping the steel cold using cold LCO2.
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#7 2026-01-16 17:35:38
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
For kbd512 ... There is a new topic available if you would care to develop your ideas for a ring shaped habitat on Mars...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=11287
Please begin by setting the dimensions so that others can begin to help to build up a vision of the idea.
The Stanford Torus may be larger than you have in mind, but is a well developed model that might provide inspiration for your concept.
Unlike Calliban's dome, your concept appears to have potential for construction outside a Crater.
It will definitely be interesting to see what members do with the concept, but it needs dimensions so that folks have something to work with.
(th)
It could be the same size or different due to other factors yet not determined...
For kbd512 re D shaped habitat ring ...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 29#p237229In some habitat designs, regolith is piled on top to provide radiation shielding. Is the structure you've considering strong enough to handle that load? The cast basalt panels might be strong enough to handle the compression load.
A regolith outer layer would provide thermal buffering, although some heat will be lost as the planet sucks energy out of any structure. Heat from a fission reactor might provide a constant supply of fresh thermal energy for an extended period.
Your D shaped structure has the distinct advantage of solving the foundation problem that other designs must handle.
(th)
Again shape still may change as its never been built as if we are on mars.
It is unknown how fast the mining of ore, processing to be able to cast panels, but to make and weld the frame is also a question. Time and crew size plus equipment causes the build to be pushed across multiple cycles.
reminds me of
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#8 2026-01-16 17:46:59
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
Funny we have been there for Cast Basalt
With Basalt melting at temperatures of 1175 - 1350°C, depending on composition.
Similar equipment for other mining operations.
Basalt mining and processing require extremely wear‑resistant, high‑capacity equipment because basalt is one of the hardest and most abrasive natural stones. The core machinery includes drilling/blasting tools, heavy-duty loaders, jaw and cone crushers, VSI sand makers, vibrating screens, and dust‑controlled conveyor systems.
Below is a clear, structured breakdown of the full equipment lineup and process flow, grounded in the latest industry data.
? What Equipment Is Used for Basalt Mining & Processing?
1. Mining / Quarrying Equipment
Basalt is typically extracted from open‑pit quarries.Extraction Tools
Drilling rigs – for blast‑hole drilling in hard rock.Explosives & blasting systems – controlled fragmentation of basalt benches.
Hydraulic excavators (30–70 ton) – for loading blasted rock.
Wheel loaders & haul trucks – transport raw basalt to the processing plant.
? 2. Primary Processing Equipment (Crushing)
Basalt’s hardness (Mohs 5–6.5) demands high‑strength crushing machines.Primary Crusher
Jaw CrusherHandles large basalt blocks up to 700–1200 mm.
High-strength manganese plates.
Example: C6X Jaw Crusher.
Secondary Crusher
Hydraulic Cone CrusherIdeal for medium-hard basalt.
Produces uniform, cubical aggregates.
Multi‑cylinder design reduces wear costs.
Tertiary Crusher (Optional)
VSI Sand MakerUsed when producing manufactured sand or highly cubic aggregates.
Common in asphalt and concrete aggregate plants.
? 3. Screening & Sorting Equipment
Vibrating screens (2–4 decks)Separate crushed basalt into size fractions (e.g., 0–5 mm, 5–12 mm, 12–22 mm).
High-strength screen meshes
Required due to basalt’s abrasiveness.
? 4. Material Handling Systems
Belt conveyors (650–1000 mm width)Abrasion‑resistant belts and dust‑proof covers.
Hoppers & feeders
Heavy-duty vibrating feeders with wear liners.
? 5. Optional Processing Equipment
Depending on the final product:For Manufactured Sand
VSI or HVI sand-making machinesAir separators for fine control
For High‑Quality Aggregates
Hydraulic cone crushers (HPT, HP series)Washing systems (log washers, spiral washers)
For Basalt Fiber Production
Basalt melting furnaceFiber drawing equipment
Winding machines
? 6. Typical Basalt Crushing Plant Configuration
Based on industry-standard setups:Stage Equipment Purpose
Feeding Hopper + Vibrating Feeder Regulated feeding of raw basalt
Primary Jaw Crusher First-stage size reduction
Secondary Cone Crusher Produces uniform aggregates
Tertiary VSI Crusher Sand making / shaping
Screening Multi‑deck Vibrating Screen Size classification
Conveying Belt Conveyors Material transport
Example capacity: 250–450 TPH basalt plant with jaw + cone + VSI + screens.? Tips for Choosing Basalt Processing Equipment
Prioritize wear resistance (manganese steel, ceramic liners).Use compression crushers (jaw + cone) to reduce wear costs.
Ensure dust suppression for environmental compliance.
Choose variable-speed feeders to stabilize plant output.
For sand production, include VSI or HVI machines.
? Sources
MINEVATE Basalt Crushing & Screening PlantLiming Heavy Industry Basalt Crusher Overview
Zoneding Basalt Crushing Plant Guide
CCE Online News – Basalt Quarry Equipment Selection
Fote Machinery – Basalt Crushing Process & Machines
Designing interlocking cast‑basalt thick tile panels for use on Mars is a fascinating challenge because it blends planetary engineering, materials science, and in‑situ resource utilization (ISRU). You’re essentially asking: How could we manufacture basalt‑based structural panels on Mars that lock together like giant LEGO blocks and survive Martian conditions?
Let’s build a complete, realistic process from extraction to finished interlocking tiles.
? 1. Basalt as a Martian Manufacturing Feedstock
Basalt is abundant on Mars. It’s chemically similar to terrestrial basalt and ideal for:Casting into tiles or panels
Melting into basalt fiber
Forming abrasion‑resistant surfaces
Thermal and radiation shielding
Its melting point (~1200–1250°C) is high but manageable with electric or solar‑thermal furnaces.
? 2. Full Process for Creating Interlocking Cast Basalt Panels on Mars
Step 1 — Basalt Collection & Pre‑Processing
Robotic excavators or small autonomous rovers gather basalt rubble.Material is crushed into uniform feedstock (5–20 mm).
Magnetic separation removes iron-rich particles if needed for furnace efficiency.
Mars advantage: Low gravity reduces wear on crushers and conveyors.
Step 2 — Melting the Basalt
Basalt must be melted into a homogenous liquid.Possible furnace types for Mars
Solar‑thermal concentrator furnaceUses mirrors to reach >1300°C
No oxygen required
Ideal for daytime production
Electric resistance furnace
Powered by nuclear or solar arrays
More stable temperature control
Induction furnace
Efficient if basalt is pre‑enriched with iron
The melt is held at ~1250–1350°C.
Step 3 — Casting Into Interlocking Tile Molds
This is the heart of your idea.Tile geometry
Interlocking basalt tiles could use:Tongue‑and‑groove edges
Dovetail joints
Hexagonal puzzle‑fit geometry
Male/female castellated edges
These shapes prevent lateral shifting and allow construction without adhesives.
Casting process
Pre‑heated molds (steel, ceramic, or regolith‑ceramic composite) are prepared.Molten basalt is poured into molds under low atmospheric pressure.
Controlled cooling prevents cracking.
Annealing phase relieves internal stresses.
Thickness:
20–80 mm for structural panels
100–150 mm for radiation shielding or load‑bearing walls
Step 4 — Controlled Cooling & Annealing
Mars’ environment is extremely cold, so cooling must be regulated, not passive.Tiles are cooled in insulated chambers to avoid thermal shock.
Annealing at 500–600°C for several hours improves toughness.
Step 5 — Surface Finishing
Depending on use:Polished for interior habitats
Textured for traction on exterior walkways
Grooved for mechanical interlock with regolith backfill
Coated with thin basalt‑fiber mesh for crack resistance
Step 6 — Quality Testing
Tiles must survive:Thermal cycling from −120°C to +20°C
Dust abrasion
Low‑pressure fracture tests
Radiation exposure simulations
Impact resistance (meteoroid micro‑debris)
? 3. Assembly of Interlocking Panels on Mars
Dry‑fit construction
Because water is scarce, tiles should assemble without mortar.Possible assembly methods
Robotic arms place tiles into interlocking patterns.Regolith backfill locks panels in place.
Basalt‑fiber tie rods or pins reinforce joints.
Vacuum‑tight interior walls may use a thin polymer seal between tiles.
? 4. Why Cast Basalt Panels Are Ideal for Mars
Radiation shielding (dense, high‑silica material)Thermal stability
Abrasion resistance against dust storms
ISRU‑friendly (basalt is everywhere)
Non‑toxic, non‑flammable
Long lifespan
Interlocking geometry reduces the need for adhesives, which are expensive to transport from Earth.
? 5. Optional Enhancements
Basalt‑fiber reinforcement
Mixing chopped basalt fiber into the melt increases toughness.Hollow‑core tiles
Reduce mass and improve insulation.Embedded channels
For wiring, heating loops, or gas lines.Self‑locking hexagonal tiles
Inspired by honeycomb structures for pressure‑resistant habitats.If you want, I can also design:
A specific interlocking geometryA full production line layout for a Martian basalt tile factory
A tile panel standard (dimensions, tolerances, strength specs)
A robotic assembly system for building habitats with these tiles
The most promising sites cluster around volcanic provinces, ancient lakebeds, and polar regions, according to recent analyses.
Below is a clean, practical breakdown of where humans would actually mine on Mars based on current science.
? 1. Best Locations for Basalt Mining (for cast basalt tiles, ISRU construction)
Basalt is everywhere on Mars, but the richest, freshest, and easiest‑to‑access deposits are:Tharsis Volcanic Province
Includes Olympus Mons, Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, Arsia MonsGiant basaltic shield volcanoes
High‑purity basalt ideal for casting, fiber production, and structural materials
Highlighted as resource‑rich volcanic zones
Elysium Planitia
Young basaltic lava plainsSmooth terrain → easy rover access
Good for large‑scale basalt tile production
Gale Crater Region
Curiosity rover confirmed basaltic provenance in sedimentsAbundant basalt fragments transported by ancient rivers
Jezerο Crater
Perseverance rover found basaltic igneous rocks in crater floorEasy to collect and crush for ISRU
❄️ 2. Best Locations for Water Ice Mining
Water ice is the most valuable early resource.Mid‑Latitude Ice Deposits
Arcadia PlanitiaUtopia Planitia
Vast subsurface ice sheets
Easy to access with shallow drilling
Polar Regions
North Polar Layered DepositsThick, clean water ice
Highest volume but harder to reach for early missions
? 3. Metal & Mineral Mining Locations
Based on rover samples and meteorite analysis:Volcanic Slopes of Tharsis & Elysium
Likely sources of:Nickel
Chromium
Titanium
Identified as high‑value targets for future mining robots
Hematite‑Rich Regions
Meridiani Planum (Opportunity rover site)Contains iron oxides (hematite “blueberries”)
Sulfur, Chlorine, Potassium, Phosphorus
Widely distributed in Martian regolithUseful for agriculture, batteries, and chemical processing
? 4. Best Locations for Construction Materials (Regolith, Basalt, Silicates)
Valles Marineris walls – layered basalt and sedimentLava tubes in Tharsis & Elysium – natural shelters + basaltic rock
Isidis Basin – basaltic plains with fine regolith
?️ 5. Summary Table: What to Mine and Where
Resource Best Locations Why
Basalt Tharsis, Elysium, Gale, Jezero Casting, tiles, fibers
Water Ice Arcadia, Utopia, Poles Life support, fuel
Metals (Ni, Ti, Cr) Tharsis volcanoes Concentrated in volcanic flows
Iron Oxides Meridiani Planum Hematite nodules
Silicates Everywhere Glass, ceramics
Salts & Volatiles Regolith globally Agriculture, chemistry
? If your goal is specifically basalt tile production for Mars:
The top two mining zones are:⭐ Elysium Planitia
Flat, accessible, young basaltIdeal for large automated factories
⭐ Tharsis Montes (volcano slopes)
Highest‑quality basaltRich in metals for tools and furnace components
If you want, I can also map out:
A full mining + processing base layout
A site selection comparison (Elysium vs Tharsis vs Jezero)
A logistics plan for transporting basalt to a casting facility
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#9 Yesterday 19:58:22
- SpaceNut
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Re: Ring Habitat on Mars Doughnut Torus
The industrial production of cast basalt blocks is a multi-stage process involving melting raw basalt at very high temperatures and annealing it to create a durable, abrasion-resistant product. The total, comprehensive production cycle is often shortened in modern methods to roughly 5 to 6 days (approx. 130 hours), according to manufacturing patents.
Here is the breakdown of the time required for each phase:
Mining/Quarrying (Raw Material Gathering): Variable, depending on the scale of the operation, but typically, this is done in bulk.
Melting (Smelting): Basalt is melted at temperatures between 1280°C and 1500°C. Some studies indicate that the melting process itself, in a batch furnace, lasts about 4.5 hours.
Molding (Casting): The molten basalt is poured into molds or cast into cylinders. This is done shortly after melting.
Annealing (Heat Treatment/Crystallization): This is the most crucial, time-intensive step. The molded basalt is placed in a kiln for annealing to eliminate internal stresses and form a microcrystalline structure. This process usually takes 16 to 21 hours, though some specialized processes might take longer depending on the thickness of the material.
Cooling to Room Temperature: After annealing, the tiles are cooled, which can take an additional 9 to 14 hours.
Total Production Cycle Time:
Older, traditional methods could take significantly longer.
Modern, optimized manufacturing processes aim for a, total production cycle (from raw material to finished cast) in a significantly shorter timeframe, with some patents mentioning a, total cycle of 130+ hours (approx. 5.4 days).
Other Factors:
Preparation: Before melting, the basalt may need to be crushed into smaller particles.
Customization: Special molds and cooling processes for specific shapes or custom designs may increase the total turnaround time
Making things fast if we collect mars basalt sand.
Black Sand Dunes on Mars taken by NASA’s Curiosity Rover,
It appears that, Mars has abundant basalt sand, derived from volcanic activity, making up much of its dark dunes and regolith, with minerals like olivine, unlike Earth's quartz-dominant sands, creating unique features like "sandfall" streaks from sublimating dry ice.
Key Characteristics
Volcanic Origin: Mars's surface is dominated by basaltic rocks, the same dark volcanic rock common on Earth, so Martian sand is typically basaltic.
Dark Color: This basalt composition gives Martian sand its characteristic dark color, similar to dark volcanic sand beaches on Earth.
Primary Minerals: The sand contains igneous minerals like olivine and pyroxene, indicating formation through physical breakdown (wind, thermal stress) rather than extensive chemical weathering.
Dune Fields: Vast dune fields, such as the North Polar erg and the Bagnold Dunes, are composed of this basaltic sand.
Unique Martian Phenomena
Dark Sand Cascades: In the Martian spring, sunlight warms seasonal dry ice (frozen CO2) on dunes, causing it to sublimate (turn to gas) and trigger sand slides, leaving behind dark streaks that look like "trees" or "sandfalls".
Light Dust Cover: While the sand is dark, much of the Martian surface is covered by lighter-toned dust, which can obscure the dark sand unless it's actively moving or newly exposed.
Exploration
Curiosity Rover: The rover has extensively studied dark basaltic dunes in the Bagnold Dune Field, observing active sand movement and ripple formation.
BASALT Program: NASA's BASALT (Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains) project studies Earth's volcanic areas to understand potential Martian environments for human exploration
Basalt sand is widespread on Mars, forming vast dark dunes, especially around the North Polar erg (Olympia Undae), where winds sculpt them into active patterns, and in regions like Meridiani Planum (seen by Opportunity) and near volcanoes like Syrtis Major, often appearing dark or blueish due to mineral composition, contrasting with the reddish dust and sometimes mixed with gypsum.
Key Locations & Features:
North Polar Region (Olympia Undae): A massive ring of basaltic (and some gypsum) sand dunes, some over 100 feet high, showing active movement and sublimation-driven "tree-like" streaks.
Meridiani Planum: Explored by the Opportunity rover, this area features basaltic sand grains, sometimes forming spherical aggregates, with distinct dark patches.
Syrtis Major: A large volcanic region where dark basaltic sand and rock are prominent, showcasing volcanic origins for the sand.
Impact Craters: Many craters expose underlying basalt layers, providing sources for sand that gets reworked by wind.
Characteristics:
Color: Dark, often appearing black or bluish in images due to volcanic minerals like olivine.
Formation: Created from volcanic eruptions and mechanical weathering, then shaped by wind (aeolian processes).
Activity: Dunes are very active, shifting significantly over time, influenced by seasonal frost and dry ice sublimation.
How it's Found:
Orbital imagery (like NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and its HiRISE camera) reveals large dune fields.
Rovers (Curiosity, Opportunity) analyze surface sands up close, confirming their basaltic composition
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