After the first Mars missions it is likely that humanity will establish a Mars colony, perhaps leading to a future city. What might this structure look like? How will people interact? What clothes will be suitable? Could plant based food be grown? These are some of the questions posed at an exciting new exhibition at London’s Design Museum.
The exhibition is titled “Moving to Mars” and it looks at multiple aspects of humanity’s interest with Mars, beginning with early astronomical observations.
To speculative fiction, and science fiction movies.
Before dealing with the design concepts of what life on Mars might be like. How survival on Mars might become possible is explored through more than 200 exhibits. These make for a compelling exhibition, where design meets science, considering the topic of living on Mars in a thoughtful and intelligent way.
The objects include space suits, which need to be more robust than those used for Moon landings of space walks, in order to protect astronauts from radiation and to help maintain bone density.
The exhibition also considers what types of clothes might be worn inside a Mars base. Inspired the idea of recycling the materials taken on the mission, some ideas from designer Anna Talvi are presented.
This is presented as both objects to observe and interact as with, as well as specially commissioned films which provide a multi-sensory experience (the audience sit on knobbly surface that imitates that of Mars, and there are smells too that are intended to represent the planet). The most interesting of these is a sound-and-image experience of the Martian day, projected onto three vast screens.
Other films feature astronaut Tim Peake, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, scientist Professor Sanjeev Gupta from Imperial College London.
Other videos present future design concepts for a Mars base:
The exhibition also features ecological considerations. If we establish a Mars colony, can we ensure that we do not damage the planet in the same way that Earth has been harmed? Here there is a conversation to be had about working with limited resources and what this approach could teach us about designing more sustainably on Earth. This extends to the use of a model of a functioning hydroponic farm, for growing plants as food.
In terms of living quarters, Xavier De Kestelier and Hassell Studios have created a full-scale model of the interior of what one of these would look like, in the form of interconnected pods.
The furniture inside such a pod is most likely to be produced by 3D printing, once the first colonists arrive. the exhibition includes some potential designs (which proved to be surprisingly comfortable to sit on):
In terms of constructing a Mars base, it is likely that robots will play a major role:
As to what the end result might be?
The exhibition also focuses on upcoming missions to Mars, including a model of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover. This is a planned robotic Mars rover, part of the international ExoMars programme led by the European Space Agency and the Russian Roscosmos State Corporation.
The rover will be supported by other vehicles, utilizing solar power technology.
‘Moving to Mars’ is currently on show at the Design Museum, London.
