User:Rpaladugu/sandbox

Mars Space Stations

Introduction

Zach Kovach and Rohan Paladugu are aerospace engineers; Haruto Tanaka is a civil engineer; and Pranav Nair is a mechanical engineer. Therefore, we have decided that a broad umbrella concept is required and have chosen the Mars colonization and terraforming project as our common theme. Our goal was to create a repository of ideas and information on the expansive idea of a potential colonization and settlement of the planet Mars in the future by exploring the past and future from the perspective of three different disciplines. The repository will grow substantially in the future due to the nature of the article's theme. Much more historic events, like more launches, rover expansions, and the first human to land on Mars, are yet to come. As more events occur and we come closer to our event, we will have more history to record. Also, as we gain more knowledge about the planet through these explorations and develop and alter our theories on strategies to colonize, we will record new ideas that emerge in our repository. Currently, the size of our repository is only a fraction of what it will be in the future.

For millennia, humans have explored the cosmos, be it here from Earth via traditional techniques such as astronomy or more technologically advanced methods such as human spaceflight and robotic missions. Mars is particularly of interest because of its close resemblance to Earth in size and geological makeup.

Throughout the history of space exploration, many missions to Mars have been conducted to explore the planet in more depth. Be it rovers or orbiters, a variety of robotic missions have been able to expand our knowledge base for the planet and assist scientists and engineers in working towards a potential human colonization effort on its surface.

While Martian colonization is not a new topic, it has picked up serious interest in recent years with the likes of NASA’s Artemis program and Elon Musk’s SpaceX promising to bring humans to the planet for the first time. While the current state of space technology is not up to par in terms of being able to support a serious Martian colonization effort, many government bodies, companies, and organizations are working to advance new ideas and build up the infrastructure needed to eventually make this goal a reality. This process can involve many disciplines, such as aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering.

Zach Kovach, as an aerospace engineer, goes on to detail current works by the public and private sectors. He also emphasizes the development of technologies such as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), which involves using local resources to produce fuel, water, and oxygen as opposed to bringing those materials from Earth. He explains projects such as SpaceX's Starship Program, the Perseverance rover, and the BEAM habitat.

Rohan Paladugu is an aerospace engineer and believes that the first step in a successful Mars colonization effort involves an intermediate step in developing a moon base to act as a "hopping point" between Earth and Mars. This is done through extensive exploration with robotic systems (such as rovers and orbiters) and using the data collected from these missions to find optimal locations on the Moon to develop a base. This base would need to incorporate a variety of life support systems geared for years of living rather than months with the current technology on space stations, such as the ISS.

Haruto Tanaka, a civil engineer, believes that resilient and flexible infrastructure is key to colonizing Mars. He sees the process as involving the construction of infrastructure such as habitats, water treatment plants, and energy production facilities. He emphasizes the need to make use of local resources like "Martian concrete," made from Martian soil, as transporting materials from Earth would be too costly and time-consuming. Tanaka envisions a future where Mars is self-sustaining and capable of supporting a human population. Expansions to the repository will include new infrastructure ideas for energy creation, storage, and distribution; transportation on Mars; and water creation, harvesting, treatment, and distribution. As scientists and aerospace engineer explorers discover more about the soil and natural resources of Mars, civil engineers on Earth will develop infrastructure plans to best apply their practice to Mars.

Pranav Nair, a mechanical engineer, believes that developing sustainable technologies is crucial to the success of a Mars colonization mission. He imagines building habitats and other infrastructure on the globe using additive manufacturing and 3D printing. Nair also emphasizes the necessity of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power as well as energy-efficient devices. He thinks that these technologies will not only enable Mars to support itself but also lessen the negative effects of human activity on the planet's ecosystem.

As engineers, one thing we had in common was the central idea that we could create tangible things to solve our problems. A complex and broad project like this requires multidisciplinary cooperation between aerospace, civil, and mechanical engineering and many other fields like biology, computer science, and medicine. As we progress in this grand journey, this repository will continue to grow and provide valuable, freely accessible information for future generations.

Studying Mars

Notable Terminology

Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Laboratory

SAM with components labeled and annotated .

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Laboratory, developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, is an instrument suite that is a part of the Curiosity rover’s science payload. The laboratory contains various instruments to search for organic compounds of carbon, including methane, to provide evidence toward signs of life on Mars.

The instruments in the suite work together to provide valuable data and insights for future human exploration and missions on Mars by vaporizing components found in rocks drilled by the rover and analyzing them for organic compounds or elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, which also point toward signs of life.

The lab is a suite of three instruments, which includes a mass spectrometer, laser spectrometer, and gas chromatograph. The mass spectrometer separates elements and compounds gathered by the rover by mass to be identified and measured. The laser spectrometer measures the abundance of various isotopes in atmospheric gases. The gas chromatography separates such gases to be analyzed.

Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA)

Labeled components of MEDA.

The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) is a system that makes weather measurements, such as wind speed and direction, temperature, and humidity on Mars’ surface. It also monitors dust, measuring the quantity and size of particles found in the Martian atmosphere. The sensors are found on the mast of the rover, weighing a total of 12 pounds. MEDA has six main sensors: an air temperature sensor, a radiation and dust sensor, a relative humidity sensor, a thermal infrared sensor, wind sensors, and pressure sensor.

MEDA contributes to the future of human missions on Mars in a number of ways. First, by providing detailed weather data and atmospheric conditions, MEDA is able to predict weather on Mars. This is significant, as, in the future, this would allow astronauts to understand the conditions that will be affecting them. MEDA’s monitoring of the hydrological cycle would also provide potential implications of plant growth on the planet, a major factor in potentially establishing colonies or bases on the surface of the planet.

Significant Prior/Current Missions

Mars Science Laboratory Mission

The article Mission Overview and Scientific Contributions from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover After Eight Years of Surface Operations details the operations and impacts of the Curiosity rover during its time on Mars as part of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission.

Logo for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.

On August 5th, 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on the surface of Mars. Its payload carried the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) lab, the most advanced geochemistry lab to ever be sent to another planet at the time, containing instruments to be used for operations and testing materials found on the surface of the planet. The rover landed in a location on the surface of the planet called Gale Crater, which was known to house a diverse array of materials and pointed toward possible signs of water in the environment.

Over the course of its time active, it has made many significant discoveries. The igneous rock Jake_M was found by the rover, marking the discovery of a new Martian magma type. Pyrolysis of fines on Rocknest, a sand patch on the surface of Mars, revealed H2O, SO2, CO2, and O2. The rover also found evidence of variations and spikes in methane levels, providing evidence of biological activity or geological processes. These discoveries served as important precursors to many space agencies continuing to explore the possibility of colonizing Mars.

Mars 2020 Mission

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Key Search for Life on Mars discusses NASA’s Mars 2020 Mission. NASA’s Perseverance rover began its search for ancient microbials life on Mars in February 2021, when it landed on Jezero, a 3.5-billion-year-old crater on the surface of Mars. The crater once contained an ancient river delta, believed to have once been home to microbial life billions of years ago. The rover collects samples from a rock called “Rochette”, to be analyzed for organic compounds or minerals that could point toward ancient signs of microbial life on Mars.

In addition to studying microbial life, the rover was also sent to Mars for the purpose of studying the geology and climate of the planet, including its previous water cycles, condition of the atmosphere, and frequency of dust storms. This is accomplished with the MEDA system located on the rover’s payload. The rover was equipped with a helicopter called Ingenuity, meant to demonstrate the ability of flight in the Martian atmosphere, which is extremely thin. Ingenuity previews areas of possible interest on the surface for Perseverance to later explore.

With the mission expected to last at least one Martian year (approximately 687 days on earth), the Perseverance rover and Mars 2020 mission is working toward preparing for future human missions to Mars.

Relevant Software Platforms

MATLAB

MATLAB, short for “matrix laboratory”, is a programming platform developed by MathWorks, designed to analyze, visualize, and numerically compute data. The programming platform was developed with the intent to aid engineers and scientists in their fields of work. MATLAB was designed to be accessible, and is thus easy to learn and implement in various projects by people with ranging experience.

MATLAB's logo trademarked by MathWorks Inc.

MATLAB was used in rovers exploring the surface of Mars to reconstruct data collected and process the data in a way that can be better visualized and understood by scientists and engineers. MATLAB was notably directly implemented into Mars Exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity, as well as the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Curiosity rover.

With its versatility in managing large amounts of data and information, its ability to carry out major calculations, and its usage in visualizing obtained data, MATLAB is a valuable tool that will surely contribute to the exploration of Mars in current and future missions and endeavors.

ANSYS

ANSYS is a powerful engineering simulation software package made by ANSYS Inc used for simulation capabilities in engineering disciplines such as structures, crash, thermal, fluids, photonics, semiconductors, electromagnetics, materials, mission, test, evaluation, and orbit determination. NASA made a contract with ANSYS Inc for a software suite with these capabilities for their use, which is implemented in many of their projects, including the Mars missions.

In the Mars missions, ANSYS was used to simulate the potential stresses and forces experienced by spacecrafts and payloads during every phase of the operations, such as launch, landing, and maneuvering on the Martian surface. By allowing engineers to predict how different components on spacecrafts, such as landing gear or propulsion, behave structurally to simulated stress, more reliable and functional spacecrafts can be designed to withstand the extreme conditions of both the space travel and Martian environment. As such, the software minimizes risks during missions while allowing for the optimization of designs, thus cementing it as an indispensable tool for future exploration and potential construction on the surface of the planet.

Social Engagement

Send Your Name to Mars

The Send Your Name to Mars program is an initiative by NASA which allows people from all around the world to participate in their exploration by submitting their names to be engraved on a microchip aboard the Mars Perseverance rover. The program was launched in 2019, and as of 2021, over 11 million people have participated by submitting their names. The microchip on which the names are etched is mounted on the rover's deck and will remain on Mars indefinitely, serving as a symbolic testament to the individuals who participated in the mission. The Send Your Name to Mars program is part of NASA's efforts to engage the public in its exploration of the solar system and inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. This inspires engagement in the desire to explore and potentially establish a base on the surface of Mars, in addition to providing people around the world the opportunity to engage directly with millions of others interested in furthering Mars exploration. In 2020, the initiative was given a Webby Award. With future missions being planned, the initiative is still ongoing and encourages more participants to include their names to be sent to Mars.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a professional organization that represents mechanical engineers from various industries, including aerospace and space exploration. ASME is dedicated to advancing the field of mechanical engineering and promoting best practices and standards for the profession. They do this through various initiatives, such as conferences, publications, and educational programs. ASME's involvement in space exploration includes the development of technologies and systems used in space missions, as well as the establishment of standards for the industry. For example, ASME has been involved in the design and testing of spacecraft components and propulsion systems, as well as the development of spacesuits for astronauts. Additionally, ASME has established standards for space industry safety and quality control, which help ensure the reliability and safety of spacecraft and their components. Overall, ASME's efforts have contributed to the progress of space exploration and the development of new technologies for the exploration of space.

Lunar Exploration

Moon Base Development

How to Build a Moon Base

The article describes the various efforts within the last few years to push for a sustained research base on the Moon. The article presents a variety of challenges regarding the creation of liquid water and oxygen.

With regards to oxygen production, the article looks at two options: the ice shelves on the poles of the Moon or creating oxygen from the soil, known as regolith, on the moon. Both options require extensive surveying beforehand due to the limited knowledge we have on both aspects of the Moon, which can be accomplished via robotic missions to the moon.

Additionally, the development of reliable shelter is also a key challenge. The moon does not have an atmosphere like the Earth, which leads to any structure needing extensive radiation and meteorite protection. This has caused experts to look into using the Moon's natural geography to find cliffs, caves, and other barriers to act as a framework for a moon base.

Finally, the article explores the topic of food and how a plant-based diet would be the most likely solution for this challenge. Since plants are self-sufficient when given the right environment with carbon dioxide and water, the production of plants can be a viable food source for long term moon settlements. However, this is contingent on the moon settlement being protected from the hazards of the moon since growing plants for food takes months to accomplish, so any hazards that cause personnel to leave the settlement means that those plants were wasted and not available for future settlements. Ultimately, these challenges can be overcome but it entirely depends on the political and commercial will of various space organizations to solve these problems and put capital and personnel behind them.

Growing Crops

This paper discusses the ways that a bioreactor can be used to help with oxygen and food production on a potential moon base. Based on current life support used on the International Space Station(ISS), the station can currently reuse the majority of the water used and convert a little under half of the carbon dioxide produced by astronauts into oxygen. This model has great potential for working on a moon base but it does not help solve the food problem. On a moon base, the growing of food has to include the current life support systems to produce the key ingredients for a plant to exist, but also include actual biological elements. This is where the Chlorella Vulgaris comes into play. It is a single cell organism that is able to grow rapidly in the high stressor environment of a life support system but also helps produce oxygen and water for plant growth. By using this organism to their advantage, scientists can create a self-sustaining biosphere that aids in keeping plants alive on the moon and thus, allow for a steady source of home-grown food on the moon.

Platforms to Aid Moon Base Development

Solidworks(Computer Aided Design)

Computer Aided Design(CAD) tools are prevalent in the engineering world and allow for the creation of complex mechanical and robotic systems.

Among the many platforms for CAD that exist, Solidworks by Dassault Systemes is one of the most widely used within industry applications. Solidworks has a strong base in its parametric design methodology, which involves designing systems and parts to be configurable by any one single metric, thus automatically changing the sizing of the entire part when that one metric is changed. This system allows for quick prototyping to be possible due to engineers being able to make multiple configurations of one part.

Additionally, the wealth of industry knowledge surrounding the tool makes it easy for new engineers to learn it during their college careers and quickly implement it within various projects.

GIS Moon Maps

The USGS's Lunar 1:5M Geological Map allows for researchers and scientists to have accurate mapping data on the entire Moon. This data allows for the planners of moon bases to be able to focus on finding a potential location and also understand the proximity to areas of interest, such as the polar ice caps. This data also allows for scientists to better curate a moon base to its surroundings and take advantage of that region's geography in order to build the most efficient ecosystem for the habitants of the base and the rest of the Moon's geological processes.

Within these maps, not only can the planning of a moon base be easier, but the exploration and expansions of the base into a full fledged settlement can also be done right on the moon itself. Rather than exploring the surroundings and risking the lives of the personnel on the moon, the GIS data from this map can be used to find sites of expansions and then immediately begin construction of these new sites.

Map of Near and Far Sides of Moon

Notable Terminology

Microgravity: Microgravity can be defined as the very weak gravity that is observed in orbiting spacecraft around bodies in space as well as the gravity seen on the Moon. When we compare the gravity on the Earth vs the gravity on the Moon, we see that the gravity felt on the Moon is only 17 percent of the gravity felt on the Earth. This microgravity environment causes a variety of challenges on the astronauts bodies, such as the weakening of muscles and other tendons within the body as well as increased difficulty adjusting to the environment itself. These challenges can be managed by training astronauts in these microgravity environments on Earth and allowing their bodies to adjust to them early on in order to make the transition on the Moon more seamless.

Regolith: Regolith is a type of soil seen on the Moon that is characterized as being a bedrock-like soil like that on Earth. This soil is particularly important as it can cause issues with various instruments used on the moon due to its corrosive nature. Additionally, the soil can be used in the generation of oxygen for settlements, which allows for the various settlements on the Moon to have a reliable source of breathing air throughout the facility. When comparing soil on Earth to Regolith, we see that the soil on Earth, at the top levels, has a variety of nutrients needed for plant life and regolith does not seem to have that. Additionally, the moisture content of topsoil on Earth is significantly greater than that of Regolith due to the inherent lack of liquid water on the Moon.

Regolith Terrain from Apollo 17 Mission

Organizations For Lunar Exploration:

AIAA: AIAA, or the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is the largest professional aerospace organization in the country(with over 30,000 members). Members of the organization are able to have a variety of professional benefits when it comes to connecting with industry leaders and peers as well as research conferences on a variety of topics. Besides being one of the largest organizations in the country for aerospace industry professionals, the organization also has a lot of cultural pull into the future of aerospace in where students look to working for internships and even post-grad employment. This directly affects the industries within the aerospace field as if not for the recent push from both academia and industry, AIAA would not have been able to boast a large number of members affiliated with lunar exploration and landing companies.

SEDS: SEDS, or the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, is a student organization present at most American universities and colleges that helps connect like minded students interested in careers involving space systems and exploration. The organization's impact on young minds through partnerships with NASA and other industry leaders as well as networking opportunities with those working in the space industry has helped millions of students transition from college into working at space companies. This particularly impacts lunar exploration as many of these companies that have ties to SEDS are lunar exploration companies, which are able to use SEDS as a conduit to recruit top talent throughout the country. By having easy access to students via SEDS, lunar and greater space exploration can be expedited via the increased manpower behind it.

Privatization

Notable Terminology:

In situ resource utilization (ISRU) is the practice of collection, processing, storing and use of materials present in a planet's immediate environment in order to support human or robotic missions. This idea is based on the notion that it is impractical to carry all essential materials from Earth to a planetary body due to the high cost and limited cargo capacity of existing spacecraft. This can be used to collect water, rocket propellant, solar cell production, and building materials. ISRU research for Mars is primarily focused on fuel, either for rocket propellant or Martian vehicles. For example, SpaceX is developing a Mars propellant plant that will use a variation of the Sabatier reaction in order to produce methane for it’s return trip to Earth from subsurface ice. The Moon also contains natural resources that can be processed such as anorthite which can be smelted and can produce pure aluminum, calcium metal, oxygen, and silica glass.

NASA's X-43A computational fluid dynamic

Hypersonic is an adjective that describes speeds of more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) below altitudes of about 90 km. This is roughly 3800 miles per hour at 15 degrees Celsius at sea level. At these speeds, the effect of air dissociating becomes significant and exerts high heat loads on the vehicles traversing at these speeds. The atmosphere of Mars is substantially thinner than Earth's, and this means that there is less drag because there are less molecules in the air that the body needs to push through. Speeds of this magnitude are generally put into six different categories. Subsonic, Mach no. less than 0.8; Transonic, Mach number between 0.8 and 1.2; Supersonic, Mach number between 1.2 and 5; Hypersonic, Mach number between 5 and 10; High-Hypersonic, Mach number between 10 and 25; and Re-entry speeds, Mach number above 25. Mach number (M or Ma) is a dimensionless quantity in fluid dynamics representing the ratio of flow velocity past a boundary to the local speed of sound.

Illustration of Starship rocket ready for launch.

SpaceX's Starship Program

Starship is the name of SpaceX’s reusable transportation system designed to go to Earth’s orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. It is designed to carry both crew members and cargo and will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed.  

There are two main parts to Starship: Starship and Super heavy.

Super Heavy is the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system. It is powered by 33 Raptor engines and is fully reusable as it will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to land at the launch site when it is finished being used.

Starship is fully reusable and the second stage of the Starship system. It has a payload capacity of 100-150 metric tonnes and in addition to space travel, it is also capable of traveling anywhere on Earth in one hour or less. Starship is powered by six engines: three Raptor engines and three Raptor Vacuum (RVac) engines.

Raptor engines are reusable staged combustion engines used on both Super Heavy and Starship. RVac engines are Raptor engines designed for use in the vacuum of space. They use cooled liquid methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) as fuel and produce 230 metric tonnes of force.

BEAM Habitat

In 2016, during the eighth SpaceX resupply mission, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was taken to the International Space Station for testing. The BEAM is an experimental module providing a potential habitable area for crew members to live and work in space. Made by Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas, it can dock with the station and expand to approximately 12 feet long and 10.5 feet in diameter. Six to eight times each year over the two-year testing period, astronauts collect deployment load, temperature, pressure and radiation data, and to assess its structural condition. The collapsibility of the module significantly reduces the transport volume needed. The BEAM module's skin is made up of multiple different layers: an air barrier or bladder, structural restraint, micro-meteoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) layers, and external multi-layer thermal insulation layers. BEAM also does not have windows. The MMOD barrier is designed to stop those particles from damaging the structure, however, BEAM is also designed such that in the unlikely event of a puncture, BEAM would slowly leak instead of bursting with the intention of mitigating any damage to the rest of the space station.

NASA and Government Involvement

Martian Habitats

Martian habitat designs differ in many ways. The materials used are often aluminum, Kevlar, or other materials shipped from Earth, but recently researchers have considered Martian-based concretes or even ice from the poles. Their form can generally be grouped into the categories of fully buried, partially buried, or open surface. Some habitats are pre-made and landed on the surface, some are deployable with inflatables or origami-like structures, and some are 3D printed.

Completed in 2019, NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge asked competitors to design and build a 3D-printed habitat for deep space exploration.

A 3D-Printing Centered Approach to Mars Habitat Architecture and Fabrication details the rationale for the Martian habitat designed by Northwestern University (NU), in partnership with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), for submission in the Virtual Design Levels of this challenge. The requirements NASA provided are the following: a living space of at least 93 square meters, 2.25m minimum ceiling height, three ECLSS volumes equal to 1.3 meters cubed, one surface suit hatch 85 cm by 60 cm, one viewport 50 cm in diameter, one rover hatch 1 m by 1.5 m, and two communications/power/instrumentation penetrations 75 mm in diameter. The rest of the design was left up to the teams to decide.

As for site selection, they chose a selection of the Gale Crater. Most of the print allows for the use of regolith bricks, but some smaller components must use Earth materials. They also designed a robot similar in size to the Curiosity rover to collect the regolith as needed, and a crawler robot equipped with a printing apparatus. They decided to erect it by deploying an inflatable bubble that the structure would be built on, also doubling as the internal pressure chamber for the astronauts to live inside of. This construction method also dictated the internal shape, being hemispherical. The outside shape has the cross-section of a parabola to play into the inherent compressive strength of the shape and with the lack of internal supports. They go into detail describing their structural analysis, meteorite impact analysis, space functionality, layout and much more.

Martian 3Design - An animation of the construction process by Northwestern

Space Technology Mission Directorate (STDM)

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STDM) is a program that aims to bolster ideas and provide funding to entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators across the United States. Space technology research and development occurs in many places. This could be at NASA centers, universities, national labs, and even small businesses. They are acutely aware that technology drives exploration and the space economy. Because of this, they aim to transform future missions while ensuring American leadership in aerospace. STDM spans many disciplines and technology readiness levels. They offer programs such as the Center Innovation Fund, which supports the development of emerging technologies and foster new center initiatives, and the Centennial Challenges, which includes the aforementioned 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, awarding a total of $2,061,023 when the competition completed in 2019, and the Space Technology Research Grants Program (STRGP), which accelerates the development of low TRL space technologies to support future space science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies, and the commercial space sector.

Perseverance

The Perseverance Rover on Mars, taking a selfie

NASA’s Perseverance Rover, nicknamed Percy, is part of the Mars 2020 mission to explore the Jezero crater on Mars. As of 14 April 2023, Perseverance has been active on Mars for 763 sols (785 Earth days, or 2 years, 1 month and 27 days) since the confirmation that the rover successfully landed on February 18, 2021, at 20:55 UTC. Perseverance is roughly car-sized, more specifically 9 ft 6 in by 8 ft 10 in by 7 ft 3 in. The rover is similar in design to Curiosity, its predecessor rover, only receiving moderate upgrades such as thicker, more durable aluminum wheels, and a longer and stronger arm. In total, it carries seven primary payload instruments, nineteen cameras, and two microphones. Perseverance has four main goals. These include identifying if ancient life existed on Mars, identifying if life can exist on Mars today, testing oxygen production on the planet, and collecting rock and soil samples on the surface.

Space Infrastructure

Articles

Martian Concrete

Curiosity - Mars rover - first scoop of soil

The study proposes the use of a new construction material, called Martian Concrete, composed of simulated Martian soil and molten sulfur to be used for human settlement on Mars. The material has fast curing, low-temperature sustainability, acid and salt environment resistance, 100% recyclability, and strength reaching similar or higher levels of conventional cementitious concrete. The study investigates different percentages of sulfur to obtain the optimal mixing proportions, and test results show that the strength of Martian Concrete doubles that of sulfur concrete using regular sand. The particle size distribution plays an important role in the mixture's final strength, and metal-rich Martian soil contributes to the high strength. The optimal mix developed as Martian Concrete has an unconfined compressive strength of above 50 MPa. The formulated Martian Concrete is simulated by the Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM), which exhibits excellent ability in modeling the material response under various loading conditions.

Martian Atmosphere

The Chinese first Mars exploration mission will deliver an orbiter and a descent module composed of a landing platform and a rover to explore the surface of Mars. The rover payloads include subsurface radar, terrain, and multi-spectral cameras, magnetometer, and anemometer to investigate terrain, soil characteristics, material composition, magnetic field, and atmosphere. The landing process is divided into three phases with many risks and indefinite parameters affecting site selection and phase switch. New technologies need to be developed, and end-to-end simulations and critical subsystem tests must be considered. The paper introduces the challenges and design solutions, providing reference for the Mars exploration mission.

CAD Software by Autodesk

Autodesk Revit

Example of 3D modeling in Revit 2015

Autodesk Revit is a CAD software tool for architects and structural engineers. The software allows users to design a building and structure in both 2D and 3D, as well as accessing model’s data. Therefore, Revit is a 4D application that is the dominant tool in the industry to plan and track all stages in the building's lifecycle, from concept, construction, maintenance, and demolition. This is actually not taught at Georgia Tech to Civil Engineering students. AutoCAD and Civil 3D also by AutoDesk are taught in CEE 1770 instead.In the colonization of Mars, Revit would be used to create 3D models of the housing, research facilities, spaceports, etc. Revit could also help architects and engineers visualize and analyze the buildings' performance, such as their energy consumption, thermal insulation, and air quality, to ensure they meet the specific needs of the Martian environment. Overall, Revit could aid in designing efficient and sustainable structures that support human life on Mars.

Civil 3D

Man using Autodesk software (1987)

Civil 3D is a software application used for civil engineering design, analysis, and documentation. It is primarily used for designing and documenting infrastructure projects such as roads, highways, subdivisions, and drainage systems. Civil 3D provides tools for creating 3D models of these projects, which can help engineers and designers to visualize and analyze the design more effectively.

If a colony were to be established on Mars, Civil 3D could potentially be used to help design and plan the infrastructure necessary for the colony's survival and growth. For example, it could be used to design the layout of roads, buildings, and other structures, as well as the placement of water and power systems. Additionally, Civil 3D could be used to model and analyze the terrain of Mars, which could help in the planning of the colony's infrastructure and ensure the safety of its inhabitants. Overall, Civil 3D could play an important role in the success and sustainability of a colony on Mars.

Glossary

Space Infrastructure

Concept Mars colony

Space Infrastructure are a collection of physical large structures that will be the basis for life and society preservation in a future colonization of spaces outside the Earth. This includes concepts both on Earth (launch pads), in space (space station), and on other astronomical bodies (stations on Mars). This article will primarily discuss the theory and potential implications of infrastructure for a station on Mars. Due to the environment being like Earth, colonization will require some of the same infrastructures as housing, transit, energy, and water. But it will also include infrastructures unique to extraterrestrial places like oxygen pipelines and spaceports. This is because Mars does not currently have breathable air, and facilities to come to and leave Mars from Earth and elsewhere will need to exist.

Surveying

US land survey officer

Surveying is the process of measuring and mapping the earth's surface, including the natural and man-made features. It involves taking precise measurements of distances, angles, and elevations, and using these measurements to create maps, plans, and other documents. Surveying is an essential part of civil engineering, architecture, and land management, as it provides critical information for designing and constructing infrastructure and buildings.

In the colonization of Mars, surveying would be a critical task for identifying and mapping the planet's surface features, including its topography, geology, and resources. It would help to determine the best locations for building structures, identifying potential hazards, and selecting suitable sites for scientific exploration. Surveying would also be essential for planning transportation routes, such as roads or landing pads, and for identifying potential sources of water, minerals, or other resources that could be used by the colony. Surveying will determine if or where we can settle on Mars.

Organizations

American Society of Civil Engineers

American Society of Civil Engineers logo

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the largest umbrella professional organization in the United States for civil engineers. It is most well-known by people outside of the field by its appearance in the news every four years for publishing “report cards” for the infrastructure of the nation. It has been failing for two decades now. It has student chapters at colleges and universities in all 50 states including Georgia Tech. At Georgia Tech, it is agreed upon by students that it is a ASCE-heavy environment. In contrast to the benefits a large national organization brings, it lacks the connection and emphasis on the more specialized concentrations within the field of civil engineering, especially because it is so wide. The presence of other organizations like the Institute of Transportation Engineers, or Earthquake Engineering Research Institute are much smaller in Georgia Tech.

Engineers in Action

A pedestrian bridge in Uganda

Engineers in Action is a civil engineering student organization that works to provide a sustainable solution to poverty in under-served communities in South America and Africa by annually funding, designing, and implementing a suspended footbridge project in previously isolated populations. These pedestrian bridges provide year-round access to schools, medical facilities, freshwater access points, markets, job opportunities, and more. A similar organization exists called Engineers Without Borders (EWB), but they are infamous for notoriously low project success rates, estimated at around 50%. This is due to their projects being long-term, spanning over 3, 4 years. EIA does not have this issue because their projects are short-term, only spanning a summer and resembles a tactical, speedy plan and build style.2

The settling of a new planet will necessarily have some quick builds with the pioneer spirit, that reflects the model of operation EIA uses. Many makeshift bridges around the stations will be built