Saturday, October 23, 2021

Martian aesthetics of Dune (2021) movie

The most recent adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel "Dune" – Denis Villeneuve's movie "Dune: Part One" (2021) was one of the most anticipated sci-fi movies of the year. It was released internationally on September 15 and in the US on October 22. The movie is brilliant and without a doubt the best visual adaptation of the famous novel. We are waiting for Part Two.

Dune has always been somewhat Martian. And the most recent movie is not an exception. Granted, planet Dune is a hot desert, not cold as Mars is, has breathable atmosphere, advanced life forms and Earth-like gravity but the scenery is pretty Martian. The landscapes in Villeneuve's movie has even been filmed in the same place where The Martian (2015) has been – Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. And it doesn't stop at landscapes – the Brutalist buildings of Arrakeen has Martian vibes as well.
Arrakeen Palace:
Arrakeen Palace in Dune (2021) movie
Ornithopter flying in Dune's sky:
Ornithopter in Dune (2021) movie
Atreides spaceships and troops arriving on Dune:
Atreides spaceships in Dune (2021) movie
Arrakeen city:
Arrakeen in Dune (2021) movie
Ornithopter leaving research station:
Ornithopter leaving research station in Dune (2021) movie

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Starship spaceport at Mars Base Alpha

A futuristic vision of a Starman walking past spaceport at Mars Base Alpha in 2080 by YouTuber iamVisual. There are several SpaceX Starships and Starman's Tesla Cybertruck parked at the spaceport. We estimate such sight will be possible much sooner – in around 2040.

Starman walking near Starship spaceport at Mars Base Alpha by iamVisual

Monday, October 18, 2021

Mars exploration roadtrip by Pascal Lee

Over the years planetary scientist, the director of Haughton-Mars Project, Pascal Lee has created a set of paintings depicting a Mars exploration roadtrip. Here are several of them. More of his Mars related paintings here.
Stopping at a crater in Utopia Planitia:
Mars exploration roadtrip by Pascal Lee
Astronauts exploring a lava tube on Mars:
Astronauts exploring a lava tube on Mars by Pascal Lee
Mars exploration rover:
Mars exploration rover by Pascal Lee
Astronaut exploring Mars:
Astronaut exploring Mars by Pascal Lee

Friday, October 8, 2021

SpaceX Starship on Mars by Erik Corshammar

SpaceX's Starship standing proud on Mars with astronauts from the first human mission to the Red planet - a vision by Swedish space designer Erik Corshammar (Erc X). More of his art here.

SpaceX Starship on Mars by Erik Corshammar

Astronaut standing near SpaceX Starship on Mars by Erik Corshammar

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Domed Mars colony by Steven Hobbs

Picture of the Day 19/09/2021 - domed oasis and human colony on Mars by Australian graphic designer Steven Hobbs. More of his Mars art here.

Domed Mars colony by Steven Hobbs

Friday, September 17, 2021

Mars base in Civilization 6 strategy game

Civilization 6 (Sid Meier's Civilization VI) is a turn-based strategy game released in 2016. The goal for the player is to develop a civilization from an early settlement through many in-game millennia to become a world power and achieve one of several victory conditions. One of the paths to win the game is through science domination where you need to be the first to launch a satellite, land humans on the Moon and establish a Martian colony.

Mars base in Civilization 6 game (science victory)
Spaceship approaching Mars to establish a colony there:
Spaceship approaching Mars in Civilization 6 game (science victory)
Full in-game cinematic for science victory:

Monday, September 13, 2021

Infographic of SpaceX Starship timeline by Ryan MacDonald

Exoplanet astronomer at Cornell University's Carl Sagan Institute Ryan MacDonald (known on social media as Martian Colonist) has created an infographic of SpaceX's aspirational timeline for Starship's first missions to the Moon and Mars.


We estimate realistically the timeline will slip for a few years with #dearMoon mission happening in 2025, Lunar Starship demo landing in 2026, humans returning to the Moon in 2027, first cargo mission landing on Mars in 2027 and first crew mission landing on Mars in 2031.

Saturday, September 4, 2021

Mars exploration expedition returning to their base

Mars exploration expedition finally returning to their base at sunset before the onset of a cold Martian night by Mondolithic Studios (Chris Wren & Kenn Brown).

Mars exploration expedition by Mondolithic Studios

Saturday, August 28, 2021

First Russian cosmonauts on Mars by Alexander Ovcharenko

First Russian cosmonauts on Mars by freelance concept artist Alexander Ovcharenko (Александр Овчаренко) for Project "СССР-2061" - a community of Russian artists and writers envisioning Soviet Union in 2061 in an alternate reality. In 2011 they held their 1st arts contest asking participants to envision Soviet Union on Mars 50 years into the future. More images for the project here.

First Russian cosmonauts on Mars by Alexander Ovcharenko for CCCP-2061 contest

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Starship Super Heavy launch pads at Mars City

As SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk has acknowledged, eventually Super Heavy booster stages for Starships could be manufactured on Mars as a launch platform for outer Solar system missions. Here is a vision of several Starship Super Heavy (in its 2016 design, then called Interplanetary Transport System) launch pads at Mars City's spaceport by US designer Casey Alexander.

"Mars City" is the name Elon Musk gave to SpaceX's future human colony on Mars (now referred to as "Mars Base Alpha") in some earlier presentations of SpaceX's Mars colonization architecture.

SpaceX Starship at Mars city (Mars Base Alpha) by Casey Alexander