For Earthlings, putting a base human on Mars is a long-held dream.
Since Galileo’s 1610 discovery of the Red Planet by Galileo, people have been fascinated with its dusty, desolate appearance for many centuries. As this fascination increased, thoughts began to surface that there might be little green guys running about on the planet. popularised in magazines and on TV during the 1950s and 60s.
Moon race fever gripped the globe and, after Neil Armstrong was the first person to step on the moon’s surface in 1969, humanity almost immediately began its pursuit of Mars.
Although human space exploration outside Earth’s orbit was stalled over the years, new ideas involving billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Sir Richard Branson have rekindled interest in people being able to explore other worlds.
Musk, SpaceX’s CEO and chief executive officer is the most prominent. He has expressed his desire for a colony on Mars of one million by 2050.
What will it look like if we get there?
MailOnline has reviewed some of top ideas and concepts of companies and organizations around the globe in order to give you a taste of the potential visions for Mars.
ICON is a Texas-based startup in construction technology that has partnered with NASA to create one such idea.
The 3D-printed company has similarities to The Mars Lander Habitat (or HAB) in Matt Damon’s 2015 movie The Martian. It features a 55-inch television, a fitness area, and places to plant crops.

It has been a long-held dream of Earthlings to establish a base for human life on Mars. ICON has shown us some of its imaginative ideas, such as a 3D-printed structure that could be used to live one day on Mars.

It is similar to Matt Damon’s HAB from 2015’s blockbuster The Martian. The 55-inch television, the fitness area, and places to plant crops are all included.

The Johnson Space Center is currently constructing the habitat measuring 158 m2, also called Mars Dune Alpha.

It will mimic the Mars mission challenges, such as resource constraints, failure of equipment, delays in communication, and other stressors.

Crew tasks could include virtual spacewalks and scientific research.

Mars home: Because of its low cost, 3D printing has become the most popular technology to build extraterrestrial homes. This is the construction of the Habitat being Built by ICON at Johnson Space Center.
Because of its lack of construction materials, this is the best technology to construct extraterrestrial homes.
The 158-square-metre ‘habitat’, known as Mars Dune Alpha, is currently under construction at the Johnson Space Center in Texas.
According to the US Space Agency, it welcomed applicants for a year-long project that would simulate living on another world. The program is expected to be completed in fall next year.
Three such missions will take place, with each mission consisting of four crew members who live and work in ICON’s 3D-printed module.
It will replicate the conditions of Mars missions, such as communication delays and equipment failures, resource constraints, communications delays, and environmental stresses.
Crew tasks could include virtual spacewalks and scientific research.
Jason Ballard (ICON founder) said, “This simulates the best habitat that humans have ever built.”
“Mars Dune Alpha” is designed to fulfill a specific function: to train humans for life on other planets.
“We sought to create the best analog to help humanity realize its dream of reaching the stars.
Another concept that has been shared is the “Mars Case”, by Chinese firm Open Architecture and Elon Musk’s “Mars base alpha,” which SpaceX founder John SpaceX first disclosed three years ago.
Scientists ridiculed his plan for a futuristic Noah’s Ark to Mars.
The claim was dismissed by the team as a mere soundbit. It is impossible to make this claim in the real world.

According to the US Space Agency, it welcomed applicants for a year-long project that would simulate living on another world. The program is expected to start in fall next year.

Three such missions will take place, with each mission consisting of four crew members who live and work in ICON’s 3D-printed module.

NASA is hopeful that ICON Mars in Texas (pictured above) will be able to help them prepare for human life on Mars.

Jason Ballard, co-founder of ICON said that this is “the highest-fidelity simulation habitat ever built by humans.”

The company’s 3D printed building bears similarities to The Mars Lander Habitat in Matt Damon’s 2015 movie The Martian.
Musk stated, “The next big thing is building a self-sustaining Mars city and bringing the animals and plants of Earth there.”
“Sorta like a futuristic Noah’s ark. It’s possible to bring two more, but it would be a bit strange if only one of them was available.
Pictures previously tweeted by Musk show his firm’s Big F***ing Rocket, now known as Starship Super Heavy, on the surface of the Red Planet, with a dome base in the background, and what appear to be solar panels.
In a response to a question about the base and when it could be build, Musk tweeted ‘Probably 2028 for a base to be built’.

Pictures previously tweeted by Musk show his firm’s Big F***ing Rocket, now known as Starship Super Heavy, on the surface of the red planet, with a dome base in the background, and what appear to be solar panels

Musk replied to questions about the potential construction date and stated that he believed it would be in 2028.

He also revealed a plan for a futuristic Noah’s Ark to Mars last week, but scientists dismissed it. Here is the initial Mars base alpha design.
Open Architecture, Beijing’s design company, created the Mars Case in collaboration with Chinese tech giant Xiaomi.
This compact and self-sustaining space measures 7.8ft by 7.8ft by 6.5ft.
The base has a ‘living bubble’ that can be inflated and collapsed and then folded up into itself, ‘like packing and unpacking a suitcase.
There is an open living space, which appears to include a kitchen, bathroom and storage.
Xiaomi’s smartphones can control lighting in your home and appliances with ease.

In collaboration with Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, Beijing-based Open Architecture created the Mars Case (pictured).

The compact living area measures just 7.8ft in length, 7.8ft wide, and 6.5ft high. It was revealed to the public in 2018.

The main living area is located inside, with what seems to be a small bathroom, desk and chairs.

The base has a ‘living bubble’ that can be inflated and collapsed and then folded up into itself,’similar to packing and unpacking a suitcase.

Xiaomi smartphones, for example, are able to be used as a control device for appliances, lighting, and many other house functions.
Even windows are attached to the structure, which would explode upon inflation.
C-Space revealed another Chinese design, Mars Base 1 by C-Space. Also known as Mars Camp.
The Red Planet simulator, built in China’s Gobi desert, is a 574,039 square feet (53,330 square meter) complex.
China’s space agency CNSA hopes the camp will become a hub for adventure-seekers and researchers alike, in order to tackle the challenges facing astronauts on Mars.

C-Space also revealed another Chinese design. It was called Mars Base 1 by C-Space and is sometimes referred to as Mars Camp (pictured).

China’s space agency CNSA hopes the camp will become a hub for adventure-seekers and researchers alike, in order to tackle the challenges facing astronauts on Mars.

It is white in colour and has nine modules. These include living quarters and a control area.

Red Planet simulator is located in China’s Gobi desert. It covers 574,039 feet (53.333 square meters).
This location is meant to replicate the harsh environment and landscape of Mars.
A white base features a silver dome with nine modules. These include living quarters and a control area.
The facility is designed to look like Martian housing and can accommodate up to 60 persons.
This facility includes several modular containers interconnected, including a greenhouse as well as a mock compression chamber.
Scientists from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), meanwhile, designed a self-sustaining research base that could potentially support manned missions for several years at a time.
This multi-step strategy involves sending a robotic colony to Mars, using the planet’s resources, and finally sending a crew there to live for nine months.

Scientists from Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), meanwhile, designed a self-sustaining research base that could potentially support manned missions for several years at a time

The team envisions sending a robotic to Mars to construct the base and harness the planet’s resources to send a crew there to live for nine months.

It involves sending a robot from Mars to help build it, and then harnessing Mars’ natural resources to send a crew there to assist with its maintenance. The plan could last at most nine months.

Scientists also plan to create a crane system that orbits around Mars. This would allow for cargo transfers between the shuttles returning from Earth and Mars.

The payload could be reused six times.

It was part of a NASA competition that required teams to submit 3D-printed habitats to be considered for colonization on the Red Planet. This was another idea for a base that was submitted as part of the competition.

Another concept was submitted to a NASA contest asking for suggestions on 3D-printed habitats that might be possible on Mars.
According to scientists, the research base could be made up of three modules.
It would consist of a core that is 41ft (12.5m), high, and 16ft (5m diameter) wide.
Scientists refer to it as a “minimal living space” that could house all of the most important material and goods.
The core would have three living capsules attached via airlocks.
The dome would consist of three meters of ice and polyethylene fibre.
According to scientists who shared their vision for the dome in 2018, they would be an addition living space and a barrier that protects the crew from radiation and micrometeoroids. It also helps maintain the pressure inside the base.
A crane system would be created that orbits around Mars to transfer goods from shuttles arriving up from Earth to the base on Mars.
The payload could be reused six times, and the space required to send it from Earth would decrease between trips.
This idea was submitted to NASA for a competition that asked companies to send 3D-printed habitats they think could be used in colonising the Red Planet over the next decade.
Among the top three winning designs were SEArch+/Apis Cor, which took first place, Zopherus from Rogers, which came in second, and the third-placed Mars Incubator from New Have Connecticut.

The Mars Incubator (pictured) from New Have Connecticut was chosen as one of three finalists in a competition of Mars base designs by NASA

Zorpheus’ design would have been constructed by an autonomous printer, which prints a structure before moving on to another site.

Search/Apis Cor is unique in its ability to reinforce the structure with continuous reinforcement. Through the top and sides, light enters via trough-shaped ports.
Nicholas McGhee (entrepreneur) founded the latter. He believes transport is the most difficult problem to overcome when trying to save the Red Planet.
He believed humans would land on Mars in 2030. But, now he believes that it will take a few years longer.
At its broadest, the structure will measure 14- to 30-ft. Its height would be 9ft. There are four modules connected to it, with the largest being the largest. It would include bunk beds, kitchenette, bathroom and lab as well as a recreation space.
It would also include a McGhee’s group said that there is a multi-purpose area where you can exercise, store your chairs, or handle emergency situations.
Foster + Partners in London, an architecture company has shared its vision of life on Mars or the moon.
Images of 3D printed homes and autonomous vehicles were revealed by the camera. These could be used to cover the Red Planet’s surface in the future.
The homes, measuring 1,001 sq ft (93 sq m), would house up to four astronauts and be constructed using regolith – the loose soil and rocks found on the surface of Mars.
According to 2018’s vision, they would be built in three steps by semi-autonomous, pre-programmed robots.
The semi-autonomous “Diggers” robots will first choose the site and then dig a five foot (11.5 meter) deep crater into the regolith.

Foster + Partners, a London-based architectural firm, has shared its vision for life on Mars and the Moon.

Pre-programmed semi-autonomous robots will create the three-stage dwellings, before any astronauts arrive. Artist’s impression showing the construction of inflatable living quarters, site preparation, and excavating work by semi-autonomous “Digger” robots

The second phase, which involves the landing and layering of habitat units into their respective places, is illustrated in this artist’s impression.

Foster + Partners describes the potential inside design of a base for humans on Mars and the moon.
The delivery of inflatable modules would then be done to create the heart of settlement.
The medium-sized “Transporter” would then be placed over inflatable habitat modules in order to place them.
The loose Martian soil would be fused around the modules using microwaves – a similar principle used when 3D-printing – by several small ‘Melter’ robots.
The settlement would be protected from radiation and extreme temperatures by the fused regolith.
The designers say that the clear separation of tasks among the robots would increase the likelihood of the mission’s success — if one robot failed, or a single module was damaged, there would be others that could fulfil the task in hand.
ICON also 3D-printed a Mars base. It has revealed Project Olympus to ICON, which is aiming at developing robotic constructions for the moon.
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama will provide a simulation of lunar soil for the company to test a 3D-printed construction.

ICON also 3D-printed a Mars base. It has now revealed that Project Olympus is underway, which seeks to create robotic construction on the moon.

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama will be used by the company to simulate moon soil in order to test a 3D-printed construction.

Pictures of the company’s concept for a lunar human base have been shared by them (shown).