We learned that living on the surface of Mars is very definitely NOT a good idea. Radiation from the sun and space, VERY cold night time temperatures and dust storms that play havoc with machinery all contribute to that.

HOWEVER, living underground in Lava Tubes seems to be a VERY attractive solution to those problems

Your job on this project is design your own ROOM on Mars.

We'll pretend that we are living in a settlement underground in Mars that has common living/eating/working areas but separate 'pods' or rooms where individuals or couples live separately from the group.

Your job is design your 'room' to the following specifications:

PHYSICAL LAYOUT SPECIFICATIONS

  • Your living space cannot exceed 400 square feet (that's 20 feet x 20 feet) and 8 feet in height.
  • You should include a separate toilet/shower facility that is no larger than 8 feet x 5 feet and is also 8 feet in height that is connected by a door to your room

WATER

  • You are allowed up to 100 gallons of water per day for:
    • Shower
    • Cooking
    • Cleaning
    • Drinking

POWER

  • You have 3500 watts of power available to you at any time... no more and no less. That will take some analysis so we'll work on the following exercise to get ready for that part of our project

PERSONAL SPACE AND EMOTIONAL SPACE

  • This is key. Working and living on Mars will pose uniquely difficult and stressful challenges. It is essential that you create a "home" space that will help you relax or 'decompress' in your own space. How you do that will be an important part of this project... be thoughtful.

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With that in mind, make a list of the energy sources that will/might be available to provide energy to a Martian Colony

Take a few moments to look around your house for electrical items that you use every day. Most if not all of those products will show the "Watts" of energy required to run that product.

Please check:

  • Microwave oven (if you have one)
  • Hair drier
  • Space heater (if you have one)
  • Radio (might not be labeled but take a look)

Now please make a list of half a dozen (6) or so items that you just can't imagine living without and take a look online and see how much power they require:

I live out in a rural part of Port Orchard. When the wind blows (LIKE YESTERDAY!), I lose power (LIKE YESTERDAY... it's a thing.

Fortunately, a MOST Gracious & Humble colleague of mine was kind enough to let me borrow (and then buy) a 4000 watt generator:

Although it can max out at 4000 watts, it can only reliably produce 3500 watts for any length of time.

Let's say you're living in a little habitat in a lava tube on Mars. You're going to create an energy budget for your habitat that is the same that I have to use when the power goes out in the winter time at my house.

That is to say that you can have a total of 3500 Watts of energy available at any one time.

The heater needs to run all the time. My space heater is pretty good and it is rated at 1500 Watts... so I put that in the budget (below) for you. That means you only have 2000 Watts left in your energy budget.

Take a look around your room/home or search the interweb for the amount of power for various items you'd like to have in your 'room' on Mars.

Item
Use
Watts
Running Total
Electric Space Heater Continually Heat Your Room
1500
  
Lights To be able to See/Study/Read/Work    
Microwave Oven To Heat/Cook Snacks    
Your Choice (1)      
Your Choice (2)      
Your Choice (3)      
Your Choice (4)      

Examine a few items around your house that you would like/need to have in your habitat on Mars and add them to the list (you can find the wattage listed on the back or bottom of all appliances)

Remember, your total can add up to more than 3500 watts, you just can't run everything at once. Also, you can't' turn off your heater. Ever.

The total of ALL the power you consume at any given time can ONLY be 3500 W.

Please copy and paste the table above into a Google Doc.

Then please list the combination of appliances (never adding up to more than 3500 watts please!) you will use during the day while you are relaxing. Be sure to include a running total.

Then please list the combination of appliances (never adding up to more than 3500 watts please!) you will use during the day while you are working/studying. Be sure to include a running total.

Then list the appliances you will use at night. Be sure to include a running total.

 

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Please work to provide a drawing (not a sketch please) that shows your 'room' on Mars. Keep in mind what we've discussed regarding physical, mental, emotional health as well as practical considerations like heat, energy and water. You are ONLY allowed 3500 watts of energy/electricity at any one time (and you HAVE to have a space heater present, although you don't have to run it all the time)

You are free to draw free-hand if you enjoy that, but please keep in mind this IS NOT A SKETCH. Just winging it and tossing in a quick sketch is NOT acceptable.

Also please feel free to use any sort of online drawing program to create your 'room'.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Your "room" is inside a lava tube. It is warmer in the lava tube than surface of mars (-100 degrees F) but it is still plenty chilly in the lava tube (30 degrees or so, right around the freezing point of water)