Underground Mars bases - ZA Architects

(Image from dezeen.com  All credit due)

Designed by German architectural firm ZA, as an example of building underground habitation for the colonization of Mars (future astronaut explorers).  As mentioned in 2004 BL86 Meteorite heading close to Earth 26th January 2015 I personally believe Mars should be ruled out as a destination place for humans (costs, risks and priorities).  The architects at ZA have suggested, which is a great idea, to send advanced robots first to create the living areas built into underground caves.  Fantastic concept.  But even better if they build similar areas on Earth.  Pertaining to the fact that the potential for our planet to be mostly uninhabitable within the next five to ten years from climate change.  That is if a meteorite doesn't hit us first. Maybe it's time for humans to live beneath the surface of the Earth.  Would it be so bad?

From dezeen.com :


The purpose of the project is in research of the possibility to build permanent settlements on Mars, using robotics and local materials, thus reduce the price and risks. At the moment there are several crucial restrictions, first of all unreliability, high cost and size limitation of cargoes that can be delivered there.


Further, building works that can be performed on the Mars are highly restricted due to severe conditions. Idea of this project is to split construction works on two general steps: First - creation of overall big shell that will be equipped with residential, technical and other units, which is the second.
First part is to be done by the robots using only local materials. Martian surface is primarily composed of the basalt - igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of basaltic lava. During the cooling it forms topology of the tightly packed hexagonal in section columns. Idea to use the digging robots that can hew cave system, using benefits of this topology is inspired by the Fingal's Cave. This solution allows to avoid supply from the Earth, only robots are needed.

After cave is done, astronaut mission is sent to the Mars. Using ready-assembled compact facilities they must arrange water and oxygen supply from the soil glacier and mount basalt processing plant. Robot supply plant with the crushed rock, output - basalt wool, with which the same robots insulate the walls of the cave, and basalt roving, from which another weaving robots can make the spatial spider-like web that will be used as spaces and constructions to hold the domestic and technical facilities.