Echo Base Mars by Isaac_Kotlicky

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

Multi-part system for the Mars Base Challenge:
Combined data center and solar installation at Martian Southern Pole - high temp superconductor battery (HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8 or similar with critical temp below martian minimum temp) for bulk long term storage. Self-orienting panels at high altitudes provide for maximum sunshine hours while polar location minimizes the affect of dust storms which occur at thermal boundaries.
Data center at or near poles to take advantage of heat dissipation.
Water and CO2 captured from polar ice caps and moved to other structures outside of pole.
Water and CO2 fed into growing pod with bioengineered algae to produce oxygen and food.
Human waste captured in septic tanks seeded with bacteria and methane converters for generating heat (burning methane) for habitation and, if needed, cooking and energy generation. Sterilized human waste is fed back into the food production system to provide ongoing nutrient stock for plant/algae growth.
Habitat shaped like an inverted lily blossom. Parabolic walls act as solar concentrator on tubes filled with waste CO2 used to aid in regulating temperature.
Surface dust iron(III)oxide/-hydroxide can be formed into ceramic plates for insulation and construction, sintered in place, or mixed with aluminum for thermite reactions for utilitarian welding and/or byproducts. Used in a mold, a bottom slag layer of Fe is formed with a covering of aluminum oxide, creatin abrasion/oxidation resistant metal plates. Under controlled conditions (enabled by the thin atmosphere), it may be possible to form useful sapphire "float" glass on top of the molten metal sheet.