Domes seem like the likely solution for housing a Martian colony in its early stages, though an initial group might use prefabricated modules in addition to structures made of locally sourced materials.
However would this really be the longer term solution. Would Martian colonists long term want or need that much 'view'. The alternative is likely to be mainly concrete structures, semi or largely sunken into the surface, built into canyon walls (Martian Pueblo) or even roof over a crater and build a structure inside. Of course you can see into a dome and you wouldn't be able to see into a mostly concrete structure, but the game has the facility to click and view inside domes. Thick concrete walls would surely make more sense than transparent polymer panels and I suspect provide more flexibility in structure design.
What would this be like; see scenes from 'The Expanse' set on Mars.
Read up on Martian concrete; regolith mixed with molten sulfur, which can be re-heated / melted and re-used, so the blocks thing makes sense.
Do wonder about those waste rocks, could they be placed in metal mesh gabions and used in construction in some way ?
However would this really be the longer term solution. Would Martian colonists long term want or need that much 'view'. The alternative is likely to be mainly concrete structures, semi or largely sunken into the surface, built into canyon walls (Martian Pueblo) or even roof over a crater and build a structure inside. Of course you can see into a dome and you wouldn't be able to see into a mostly concrete structure, but the game has the facility to click and view inside domes. Thick concrete walls would surely make more sense than transparent polymer panels and I suspect provide more flexibility in structure design.
What would this be like; see scenes from 'The Expanse' set on Mars.
Read up on Martian concrete; regolith mixed with molten sulfur, which can be re-heated / melted and re-used, so the blocks thing makes sense.
Do wonder about those waste rocks, could they be placed in metal mesh gabions and used in construction in some way ?
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