Monday, September 21, 2020

SpaceX Mars Base Alpha concept by Sotiris

Here is a concept of SpaceX's early Mars Base Alpha by Twitter user Sotiris. The concept features a pair of crew Starships with Falcon 9 style landing legs, several pressurized Mars Cybertrucks, The Boring Company's tunnel boring machine and 3-level habitation modules derived from used Starship propellant tanks and connected in pairs (a questionable idea, we think).

SpaceX Mars Base Alpha concept by Sotiris

SpaceX Mars Base Alpha concept by Sotiris
Cutaway of the habitation module:
Mars habitation module concept by Sotiris - cutaway
1st floor - garage for a Cybertruck, airlocks, ECLSS:
Mars habitation module concept by Sotiris - 1st floor
2nd floor - labs, galley and gym:
Mars habitation module concept by Sotiris - 2nd floor
3rd floor - crew quarters:
Mars habitation module concept by Sotiris - 3rd floor

5 comments:

  1. I see this suggested a lot, but I think the best way to recycle Starships fuel tanks is to continue to use them as fuel tanks, that is as vertical storage tanks for ISRU generated cryo-fuel storage and continue to use the crew quarters, at least initially, as habitats. Anything more would require heavy equipment to reposition from vertical to horizontal, cut out tank guts, weld in pressure hatches for airlocks and do all the other mods to make them pressurized habitats. If the heavy equipment is on planet, then ready-modules could be placed and buried for long term protection. Elon could work with NASA on a pressurized, high ground clearance, cybertruck with externally mounted EVA suits like these . . . https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/374178main_LER1024x768.jpg

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    Replies
    1. Interesting. What are the externally mounted EVA suits for? One cannot put one on while outside the vehicle? Is the intention that someone in a suit would attach themselves to the outside of the vehicle?

      Regarding vehicles, given the rock-strewn nature of Mars, I wonder if legged vehicles would be more effective - like the Boston Dynamics "dog" robot.

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    2. EVA suits are mounted externally when there is no space for separate airlocks (as in a rover) or you don't want dust to get into your base.

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  2. Commander, one of the astronauts broke his leg during and EVE.
    - Let's euthenize him, there is nothing more we can do.
    - Come-on commander, a broken leg is not that bad.
    - Yeah, but with the moronic spiral staircaise earth gave us, we have no choice.

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