A team* of researchers at Technical University Delft (TUD) in the Netherlands led by Henriette Bier published a paper last year describing a method for robotically excavating and building structures in cavities below the surface of Mars to provide living spaces for colonists that would be both protected from radiation and thermally insulated from extreme cold. The process would be initiated by autonomous digging rovers hogging out tunnels in a spiral pattern and utilizing the excavated regolith to create concrete for the next step. Using a process developed by TUD called Design-to-Robotic-Production (D2RP) the concrete would be extruded by a 3D printer to reinforce the tunnel walls. Called “Scalable Porosity” TUD has pioneered this process for Earth based architectural applications.
The assumption is that the generated structure is a structurally optimized porous structure, which has increased insulation properties … and requires less material and printing time.
Once structurally sound, the material between the tunnels would be removed to create habitat spaces to be filled by inflatable structures made from materials also sourced in situ.
Although not addressed in detail in the article the authors propose that electrical power be provided by a combination of solar energy and an innovative kite based platform, a highly efficient airborne energy system based on soft wing technology pumped by persistent winds at high altitudes. TUD pioneered this renewable energy technology based on inflatable membrane wings tethered to a ground based generator through its Kite Power research group. A startup called Kitepower B.V. was spun off as a result of this research to commercialize the technology hear on Earth.
The D2RP process is data driven and
“…integrates advanced computational design with robotic techniques in order to produce architectural formations by directly linking design to building production.”
For example, the habitat will require a life support system which includes a plant cultivation facility, water recycling and oxygen production controls. These design inputs are coded in the 3D printing program to fabricate the structure around sensor-actuator systems that regulate plant growth and wiring for control mechanisms.
TUD’s goal is to develop a fully self sufficient D2RP system for fabricating subsurface settlements on Mars via ISRU.
* TUD Team members: Henriette Bier, Edwin Vermeer, Arwin Hidding, Krishna Jani
