Building on Mars comes with hurdles far beyond those faced on Earth.
Building a sustainable habitat on Mars is a challenge that has intrigued scientists and engineers for decades. With no hardware store around the corner, settlers will need to rely on the planet’s natural resources to construct shelters that can withstand harsh Martian conditions. A recent study by Iranian researchers explores how to create durable building materials using Martian soil, water, and even some unconventional components sourced from human settlements.
Transporting building materials from Earth to Mars is extraordinarily expensive and impractical for large-scale colonization. Future settlers will likely repurpose their landing craft as temporary shelters while sourcing raw materials for permanent structures. Martian soil, or regolith, has the potential to become a cornerstone of extraterrestrial construction, but it isn’t as straightforward as mixing it into concrete.
Chemical analyses of regolith samples from Mars missions show that it contains elements suitable for creating various types of cement. However, not all Martian soil is equal. Researchers propose conducting surface scans to identify the best soil compositions for construction. These scans would guide settlers to regions with optimal resources, making the process both efficient and cost-effective.
Unique Challenges of Martian Construction
Building on Mars comes with hurdles far beyond those faced on Earth. Mars has lower gravity, reduced atmospheric pressure, and intense ultraviolet radiation—all of which impact the durability of construction materials. For example, traditional concrete might not hold up well under Martian conditions, prompting researchers to explore alternatives like sulfur concrete and other geopolymer blends.
Energy is another critical factor. Creating building materials requires significant energy input, especially for processes like heating or chemical bonding. While nuclear power could provide long-term energy solutions, initial settlements will likely rely on solar power to keep operations running. Water, an essential component of many cement types, is scarce on Mars, except in its polar ice caps. This scarcity pushes researchers to innovate waterless or low-water construction methods.
The Case for AstroCrete
One of the most intriguing innovations is a material called AstroCrete, which integrates human bio-waste with Martian soil to create a strong, sustainable building material. Inspired by ancient practices where organic additives improved construction strength, AstroCrete uses a protein called human serum albumin (HAS), which can be derived from blood, sweat, and tears. While this might sound unconventional, it offers a practical solution to resource scarcity. Future settlers could produce these organic materials in abundance, making AstroCrete a viable option for early Martian infrastructure.
The study, published in Acta Astronautica, examined 11 types of cement mixtures, including magnesium-silica blends and sulfur-based cements, as potential solutions. Among these, sulfur concrete emerged as particularly promising due to its strength and availability of sulfur on Mars. However, further research and field testing are needed to adapt these materials to Martian conditions.
As humanity prepares for its first steps toward interplanetary living, understanding how to utilize the resources of Mars will be key to establishing sustainable colonies. From scanning the surface for ideal regolith to innovating with AstroCrete, every discovery brings us closer to transforming Mars into a second home.
