Envisioning space inhabitation with International Space Settlement Design Competition
It is well understood that one day the Earth will no longer be able to support our population which currently stands at 7.8 Billion and continues to grow. The Earth is but a dot within the universe. Ever since humans made their first venture to space, the probability of a space settlement has become a possible alternative for habitation. Realization of this possibility would be the beginning of a life-changing era and so, it has been a matter of constant research at NASA. But where could human civilization move the most conveniently, facing the need for the least number of adjustments? While the moon and planet Venus both appear to be reasonable candidates in terms of distance, the Red Planet, Mars is considered our best bet for a space settlement. Unlike the Moon, Mars has an atmosphere, albeit a thin one, that offers humans protection from the cosmic and sun radiation. It is neither too hot nor too cold, it’s ground contains water that can be extracted and there is even enough ...