A design firm has unveiled plans for a modular Mars colony 3D-printed by robots.



The concept from Foster + Partners envisions a Mars-based dwelling for up to four astronauts which would be printed using regolith - the loose soil and rocks found on the surface of the red planet.

Designed as part of the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, run by America Makes and NASA, the concept would be constructed in two stages by semi-autonomous robots in advance of the astronauts’ arrival.

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Firstly, the robots would select a site and dig a 1.5m deep crater, while a second delivery would bring the inflatable modules which sit within the crater to form the core of the habitat.

Due to the the time it takes to travel the vast distance to Mars, the habitat has been designed so that it can be built with minimum human input.

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Three different types of robots, each with a specific function, would be used to complete the construction - ‘Diggers’ for excavating the crater, ‘Transporters’ for moving the modules into place and ‘Melters’ for fusing the Martian soil into a 3D printable material.

The 93sqm habitat is finished with ‘soft’ materials and enhanced virtual environments to provide a comfortable living area for the astronauts.

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Foster + Partners has previously unveiled designs for a 3D-printed Lunar Habitat project, in collaboration with the European Space Agency.

Image credit: Foster+Partners

H/T: Dezeen