Iranian engineers have developed a way to use Mars’ resources to create building materials that can withstand the Red Planet’s extreme conditions.
As Day.Az reports, the work was published in the journal Acta Astronautica.
Researchers have studied the chemical composition of Martian regolith soil collected by probes and rovers, and have proposed several options for concrete that can be created from this material. In addition, they considered the possibility of using organic binders, such as human blood plasma proteins.
This idea arose under the influence of ancient Roman construction technologies, which used additives from animal blood and urine. The modern version of this concrete has high strength, which makes it suitable for the construction of durable buildings.
To test their ideas, scientists plan to more thoroughly examine the geology of Mars using data from missions into orbit and to the surface of the planet. They also note that sulfur, which is found in abundance on Mars and has the necessary properties for construction, could be a promising material.
The goal of creating a self-sustaining Martian city of one million inhabitants seems far away, but new research makes it more achievable. According to scientists, their technology could play a decisive role in making the Red Planet a new home for humanity.