Cutting-edge technology enabling settlement of the solar system and beyond – Art by Rick Guidice / NASA
A stepwise strategy for the application of biotechnology to address four key challenges of Martian settlement is presented in a Comment in Nature Biotechnology. As settlement progresses, a phased developmental approach is proposed starting on Earth with gradual migration of industry to Mars for the production of food, materials, therapeutics and waste reclamation toward an efficient closed-loop life support system.
In a previous post I mentioned Dr. Jim Logan’s concept for space settlements in a cored out section of Deimos presented at the Bioneering Panel at SSI 50. A string of 10 Island One settlements would be placed in a 15km x 1/2km tunnel bored through the Martian moon. Videos of the Panel have been posted and details of the concept can be found at 1:47:23