Final Model
Our final model for our Hab is shown below. It was not able to be pressurized, but still it somewhat held air. The pictures and description below shows how our hah works.
Survival Challenges Solved in our Hab: Explanation
1. Pressure Vessel- This part of our hab creates a breathable area for our astronauts to live in. It is made of large pieces of canvas, representing the specialized canvas that is used by “NASA” in The Martian. This is shown on page 146 of the book, stating, “Woven carbon thread ran slowly through the press, which sandwiched it between polymer sheets. The completed material was folded four times and glued together. The resulting thick sheet was then coated with soft resin and taken to the hot room to set.” Since we do not have extra material, we have covered our canvas with glue, and then paint (for aesthetic purposes). Not only does our model have high-tech the canvas shown, but it also has duct tape and pipe cleaners; which are on the inside of the model. The pipe cleaners on the model represent the supports made to keep the hab from collapsing, especially in emergencies. The model also includes duct tape, which is there for both structural support and airtight material. This is even explained in The Martian, explaining that “Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.” Combined, this will all give Martian astronauts an airtight pressure system that they can live in on Mars, and will make up the main part of our hab.
Sources-
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
NASA: "Engineers Mark Completion of Orion’s Pressure Vessel." NASA. NASA, 15 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. <https://www.nasa.gov/feature/engineers-mark-completion-of-orion-s-pressure-vessel>.
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2. Oxygen- Our method of creating oxygen for the astronauts to breathe will be using an oxygenator. The oxygenator will be similar to the one in Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian. The oxygenator is explained best on pages 9-10 of the book, stating, “[the oxygenator] pull[s] CO2 apart and recapture[s] the oxygen.” We will use a similar method, pulling apart the existing CO2 in the Martian atmosphere, and creating O2. Much like the book, we will also have a spare oxygenator and tools, just in case the main oxygenator breaks. This spare oxygenator will only absorb CO2 (like space suits) for cost purposes.
Sources-
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
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3. Radiation Shielding- Mars has no magnetic field, and no way of protecting the surface from harmful solar rays. In The Martian, Andy Wier (Watney) states, “With no magnetic field, Mars has no defense against harsh solar radiation. If I were exposed to it, I’d get so much cancer, the cancer would have cancer. So the Hab canvas shields from electromagnetic waves.” These harmful rays are prevented using a technique used by NASA - “The best way to stop particle radiation is by running that energetic particle into something that’s a similar size,” said Pellish, Otherwise, it can be like you’re bouncing a tricycle off a tractor-trailer.” In order to do this on our hab, we we make it out of hydrogen-rich material (Hydrogenated boron nitride nanotubes), woven into the air-tight canvas. This will block out any harmful solar radiation from reaching the astronauts inside, and will also be woven into our astronauts suits.
Sources-
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
NASA: "Real Martians: How to Protect Astronauts from Space Radiation on Mars." NASA. NASA, 30 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. <https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/real-martians-how-to-protect-astronauts-from-space-radiation-on-mars>.
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4. Water- In order to create the water we need, we will use a water reclaimer, which can take water in human urine, and turn back into pure water. This is shown in The Martian, although is never really explained in depth. NASA gives a better explanation of how the system actually works, stating, “A distillation process is used to recover water from urine. The process occurs within a rotating distillation assembly that compensates for the absence of gravity, aiding in the separation of liquids and gases in space. Once distilled, the water from the urine processor is combined with other wastewaters and delivered to the water processor for treatment. The water processor removes free gas and solid materials such as hair and lint, before the water goes through a series of filtration beds for further purification. Any remaining organic contaminants and microorganisms are removed by a high-temperature catalytic reaction. These rigorous treatment processes create water that meets stringent purity standards for human consumption.” This process will be used in our hab, and will be connected to our pressure vessel, although will be outside of the pressure vessel (in order to provide extra space).
Sources-
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
NASA: Dunbar, Brian. "New Water Reclamation System Headed for Duty on Space Station." NASA. NASA, 12 May 2008. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. <https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/may/HQ_08119_ISS_Water_System.html>.
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5. Food- In order to grow food on Mars, we will set up a farm inside the pressure vessel, similar to farm created in Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian. In the book, Mark Watney states, “I found a big container and put a bit of water in it, then added the dried poop… once I get some Martian soil in here, I can mix the manure and spread it out. Then I can sprinkle the Earth soil on top… dozens of species of bacteria living in Earth soil, and they’re critical to plant growth. They’ll spread out and breed like . . . well, like a bacterial infection.” We will use a process similar to Mark Watney’s emergency procedure, only we will use a safe kind of bacteria that does not cause sickness. We will ship mostly plantable food and vitamins, as well as some freeze-dried food for backup use (this will be shipped to Mars before the mission). This would also be in a separate chamber of the pressure vessel than the living quarters, in order to give you the option of adjusting the temperature and humidity around the plants.
Sources:
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
NASA: Dunbar, Brian. "Farming for the Future." NASA. NASA, 31 Aug. 2004. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. <https://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/biofarming.html>.
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6. Energy (Heat)- In order to create the energy we need, we will use a solar energy farm. This farm would be made of advanced NASA equipment, as used in Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian. The book explains the orientation of the solar cells, stating, “Each solar cell is on a lightweight lattice that holds it at a 14-degree angle. I’ll admit I don’t know why it’s a 14-degree angle. Something about maximizing the solar energy.” In our hab, we will have high-tech solar cells as well, represented by the duct tape on our model. These cells would be similar to the ones in space stations, which convert light energy directly into electricity using a process called photovoltaics. We would also put these solar cells at an angle of 14 degrees.Lastly, in case something goes wrong with the solar cells, we will have a backup energy source. This energy source would be Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, which NASA actually has been working on since 1961, and are mentioned in The Martian.”
Sources-
Book: Weir, Andy. The Martian. New York: Random House, 2014. Print.
"Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG)." NASA. NASA, Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. <http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/files/mep/MMRTG_FactSheet_update_10-2-13.pdf>.