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Elevation in meters

Stokes
Lomonosov
Milankovic
v
ALBA
FOSSAE
TANTALUS FOSSAE
V
A
S
T
I
T
A
S B O
R
E
A
L
I
S
V
A
S
T
I
T
A S B O
R
E
A
L
I
S
S
C
A
N
D
I
A













C
O
L
L
E
S
Korolev
P L A NUM
BOR E UM
Chasma Boreale
OLY MP I A P L A NI T I A
Kunowsky
Cydnus Rupes
Phillips
Maraldi
Von Karman
Darwin
Schmidt
Agassiz
Chamberlin
Stoney
Reynolds
Charlier
Wright
Byrd
Rayleigh
Burroughs
Liais
Huxley
Secchi
Gilbert
Mitchel
Holmes
Main
South
Russell
CAV I
A NGUS T I
A O N I A
T E R R A
NOACHI S
T E R R A
ARGYRE PLANITIA
P L A N U M
A U S T R A L E
T E R R A
S I R E N U M
T E R R A C I M M E R I A
P R OME T HE I
T E R R A
MA L E A
P L A NUM
P
L
A
N
U
M
C
H
R
O
N
I U
M
CHARI TUM
M
O
N
TES
PLANUM

ANG
USTUM
Barnard
S
I S
Y
P
H
I
P
L
A
N
U
M
*
PRO
M
E
T
H
E
I P
A
L
N
U
M
*
A
R
G
E
N
T E A P L A NUM*
A
ustral e
M
ontes*
Sisyphi Cavi
Si syphi M
ontes
Pi tyusa
Patera*
P
ityu
sa


R
u
p
e
s
Vishniac
D
o r sa B
r evia
Hutton
Weinbaum
Jeans
U
l y x i s R
upes
Richardson
Suess
Steno
Lau
Smith
Heaviside
Dorsa
Argentea
Joly
Du Toit
.
Dana
Mellish
Lyell
Daly
Kuiper
Trumpler
Keeler
Clark
Dokuchaev
ICARIA

FOSSAE
Lamont
Ross
Bianchini
Coblentz
AONI A
PLANUM*
Fontana
Wegener
Peneus
Patera
Mal ea
Patera*
Amphi tr i tes
Patera
Axius
Valles
Mad Vallis
Heinlein
Wells
E
rid
a
n
ia
S
co
p
u
lu
s
Mendel
Chalcoporous

Rupes
Ar gyre Rupes
PA RV A P LA
N
U
M
*
T
hyles R
u
p
e
s
Promethei R
u
pe
s
Chasma Australe
Promethei Rupes
Bernard
Columbus
Dejnev
Newton
Mariner
Copernicus
Ptolemaeus
Li Fan
Very
:
Liu Hsin Hussey
Koval'sky
Porter
Lowell
Fesenkov
Sharanov
Mutch
Vinogradov
Holden
Hale
Hooke
Ga l l e
Darwin
Green
Wirtz
Helmholtz
Arkhangelsky
Lohse
Vogel
Newcomb
Galilaei
Becquerel
Cassini
Schiaparelli
Flaugergues
Bakhuysen
Le Verrier
Kaiser
Proctor
Schaeberle
Terby
Russell
Krishtofovich
Tikhov
Wallace
Secchi
Arrhenius
Kepler
Molesworth
Graff
Campbell
Roddenberry
A R CA D I A
P L A NI T I A
V A S T I T A S B O R E A L I S
A C I D A L I A
P L A N I T I A
CHRY S E
P L A NI T I A
L UNA E
P L A NUM
X A NT HE
T E R R A
A MA Z ONI S
P L A NI T I A
T
H
A
R
SI S
M
O
N
T
E
S
DA E DA L I A P L A NUM
SYRI A
PLANUM
SI NAI
PLANUM
SOLI S
PLANUM
VALLES
MARI NERI S
MA R GA R I T I F E R
T E R R A
T E R R A

S A BA E A H u y g e n s
ALBA PATERA
TA
N
TA
L
U
S
F
O
S
S
A
E

M
A R E OT I S F O
S S A E
T E
M
P
E
F O
S
S
A
E

T E MP E
T E R R A
U T O P I A P L A N I T I A
Elysium
Fossae
ARCADI A
PLANI TI A
Al bor
Thol us
NEPENTHES MENSAE
I SI DI S

PLANI TI A
N
ili
Fossae
SYRTI S MAJOR

PLANUM
A R A BI A T E R R A
Aram
Chaos
Tharsi s
Thol us
E
ch
u
s C
h
a
sm
a
Urani us
Patera
PAVONI S MONS
C
e
ra
u
n
iu
s F
o
ssa
e
Ul ysses
Patera
Bi bl i s
Patera
G
ordi i D
orsum
E
rebus M
ontes
ARSI A
MONS
C
L
A
R
ITA
S
F
O
S
S
A
E
Ius Chasma
Melas Chasma Coprates Chasma
Candor Chasma
OPHIR
PLANUM
AURORAE
PLANUM
Ganges
Capri Chasma
Uzboi
Vallis
Aureum
Chaos

T Y R R HE NA
Tyr r hena
Patera
HESPERI A
PLANUM
Apol l i nar i s
Patera
T E R R A
CI MME R I A
P R OME T HE I
T E R R A
D
ao Vallis
HE L L A S
P L A NI T I A
H
E
L
L
E
SP
O
N
T
U
S
NOACHI S
T E R R A
NEREI DUM
CH
ARI TU
M
M
O
NTES
A R GY R E
P L A NI T I A
BOSPOROS
PLANUM
AONI A

T E R R A
T
h
a
u
m
a
sia

F
o
ssa
e

I CARI A
PLANUM
I C
A
R
I A
FO
S
S
A
E
T E R R A
S I R E NUM
S I R E N U M F O S S A E
.
CHARI TUM
M
ONTES
MONTES
Chasma
Labeatis Fossa
NOCTIS LABYRINTHUS
U
ly sse s Fossae
Clark
M
O
N
T
E
S
Denning
Schroeter
Dawes
Antoniadi
Tikhonravov
NI LOSYRTI S MENSAE
Baldet
T E R R A
ELYSI UM
MONS
Herschel
Gale
Gusev
LUCUS
PLANUM
Ascuris
Planum
E L Y S I UM P L A NI T I A
THAUMASI A
PLANUM
LI BYA MONTES
T
iu
V
a
l l i s
Sim
ud Vall is
S
h
a l bat a
n
a
V
a
l l i s

M
a
j a

Valles
K
a
sei Valles
Eos Chasma
Al-Qahi ra Vall is
H
ar m
akhis Vallis
Reull Val l i s
Ismeniae
Fossae
E
um
eni des
D
orsum
T
i u V
a
ll is
Savich
Niger Vallis
v
Milankovic
Acheron Fossae
Di acr i a
Patera
.
A
L
B
A
F
O
S
S
A
E
A
rtynia C
atena
C
yane
C
atena
A
l b a
C
a t e n a
Acheron C
atena
Phlegethon Catena
Perepelkin
Barabashov
Timoshenko
Sytinskaya
Ni l okeras S c o
p
u
lu
s
Aci dal i a
Col l es
Aci dal i a
Mensa
Sklodowska .
Cydoni a M
ensae
LYOT
Semeykin
.
DEUTERONI LUS MENSAE
M
a
m
e
rs V
a
lle
s
Cerulli
Focas
Moreux
Quenisset
PROTONI LUS MENSAE
Rudaux
C
oloe Fossae
Renaudot
Col l es
Ni l i
Auqakuh Vallis H
uo H
sing Vallis
Mie
Hrad
Vallis
Vi ki ng 2
Landi ng Si te
Hecates
Thol us Adams
Tyndall
Stokes
P
H
L
E
G
R
A
M
O
N
T
E
S
M
arte Vallis
Pettit
Nicholson
LYCUS SULCI
OLYMPUS
MONS
Olympus R upes
O
l ympus Rupes
G
igas Sulci
Cyane
Sulci
Sulci
Gordii
Olympica Fossae
Jovi s
Thol us
Poynting
Tra
ctu
s
F
o
ssa
e
Tra
ctu
s C
a
te
n
a
Urani us
Thol us
Cerauni us
Thol us
ASCRAEUS
MONS
Fortuna
Fossae
Sacra Mensa
Sacra
Fossae
S
a
cra
F
o
ssa
e
Lunae
Mensa
L obo Vallis
Bahram Vallis
Stege
Chia
.
.
Nanedi
Valles
Vi ki ng 1
Landi ng Si te
.
Da Vinci
Ravi Vallis
.
Orson
Welles*
Hydraotes
Chaos
Ares V allis
Masursky
Sagan
Hydaspis
Chaos
McLaughlin .
Maw
rth
Valli s
Curie
Trouvelot
Rutherford
Crommelin
Radau
Marth
Maggini
Gill
Luzin
Pasteur
Henry
Indus Vallis
Janssen
Teisserenc de Bort .
Flammarion
Schner .
Ni l i Pater a
Mer oe Pater a
.
.
Ar ena
Col l es
Peridier
Du Martheray
A
m
e
n
th
e
s
F
o
ssa
e

Hephaestus
Fossae
Hyblaeus Fossae
Granicus
Valles
Elysium

Chasm
a
Eddie
Lockyer
Tar tar us Montes
Tartarus
Col l es
O
rcus Patera
Hi bes Montes
LUCUS PLANUM
M
edusae
Fossae
Williams
Burton
Comas
Sola
MEMNONI A
FOSSAE
Mangala Fossa
Cobres
M
a
n
g
a
l a
V
a
ll e
s
A
ganippe Fossa
N
o
ctis
F
o
ssa
e
Oudemans
Tithoniae Catena
Tithonium Chasma
Louros Valles
Hebes
Chasma
Perrotin Ophir Chasma
Coprates Catena
Lassel
Juventae
C
hasm
a
Sol i s
D
orsa
F
el i s
D
orsa
M
el as
D
orsa
Ibragimov
Nectaris
Fossae
Ritchey
Nirgal Vallis
.
Erythraea Fossa
Ladon
Valles
Kasimov
Chekalin .
Jones
Beer
Aurorae
Chaos
Arsinoes
Chaos
.
Pyrrhae
Chaos
.
Iani
Chaos
Margaritifer
Chaos
.
Mdler
.
Wislicenus
Pollack
Lambert
Bouguer
C
harybdis
Scylla
S
copulus
S
copulus
Niesten .
O
enotria
Scopulus
Fournier
Briault
Jarry-
Desloges
Millochau
Ausoni a
M
ontes
Mller
Knobel
AEOLI S MENSAE
Wien
Lasswitz
Hadley
Boeddicker
Reuyl
M
a
'a
d
im

de Vaucouleurs .
.
Magelhaens
Hipparchus
Eudoxus .
Nordenskild
Kuiper
Millman
Pickering
Brashear
Coblentz
Slipher
Lampland Babakin
Douglass
C
o
ra
cis
F
o
ssa
e
O
gygis
R
upes
Bosporos R
upes
Halley
Oceani dum
Mons
Bunge
Sumgin
Bond
Bozkir
Hartwig
Shatskiy
. .
C
halcoporos
R
upes
Rabe
Al pheus
Col l es
Hellas Chaos
Coronae
Scopulus
Gledhill
Hadr i aca Patera
.
Teviot
Vallis*
M
or pheo s Rupes
Alexey
Tolstoy
Haldane
Tycho
Brahe .
Eridania Scopulus
Martz
Huggins
Bjerknes Cruls
Rossby
Ar i adnes
Col l es
Nilokeras
Fossae
Kunowsky
Nier
V
a
llis
Amazoni s
Mensa*
Pathfi nder
Landi ng Si te
.
.
.
.
Airy
90 W 270 W
30 W
60 W
120 W
150 W 210 W
240 W
300 W
330 W
270 W 90 W
330 W
300 W
240 W
210 W 150 W
120 W
60 W
30 W
150 0 2 1 W W 90 0 6 W W 30 W 330 0 0 3 W W 270 W 240 0 1 2 W W
330 0 0 3 W 0 7 2 W 0 4 2 W 0 1 2 W W 150 0 2 1 W 0 9 W 0 6 W 0 3 W W
180
0
55
55
60
60
70
70
80
80
240 E
210 E 150 E
120 E
90 E
60 E
30 E 330 E
300 E
270 E
180
0
55
55
60
60
70
70
80
80
270 E 90 E
120 E
150 E 210 E
240 E
300 E
330 E 30 E
60 E
180 0 180
180
150 E 120 E 90 E 60 E 30 E
0
150 E 120 E 90 E 60 E 30 E
180
330 E 300 E 270E 240 E 210 E
330 E 300 E 270 E 240 E 210 E
57
50
30
0
30
50
57
57
50
30
0
30
50
57
x 8,200 m
x
14,028 m
21,229 m
18,225 m
xx
xx
14,058 m
xx
17,761 m
xx
500
0
500
1000
2000 1000 1000 500 500 0 2000 KILOMETERS
0
20
40
57
90
70
55
90
70
55
500
0
500
1000
90
70
55
90
70
55
CONTOUR INTERVAL 1000 METERS
0
20
40
57
North
South
E
ast
W
est
N
O
R
T
H
P
O
L
A
R
R
E
G
IO
N
S
O
U
T
H
P
O
L
A
R
R
E
G
IO
N
MAPPING MARS
001
B C A D E
EARTH
1 YEAR = 365 DAYS 1 YEAR = 686 SOLS
MARS
DIST TO EARTH:
54401 million km
BASIC INFORMATION:
MEAN RADIUS: 3388.0 km
MASS: 0.108 (Earth=1)
DENSITY: 3.94 (g/cm^3)
GRAVITY: 0.380 (Earth=1)
ORBIT PERIOD: 686.98 (Earth days)
ROTATION PERIOD: 1.026 (Earth days)
SEMIMAJOR AXIS OF ORBIT: 1.524 au
ECCENTRICITY OF ORBIT: 0.093
PRESSURE COMPARISON
Where Pressure
Olympus Mons summit 0.03 kilopascals (0.0044 psi)
Mars average 0.6 kilopascals (0.087 psi)
Hellas Planitia bottom 1.16 kilopascals (0.168 psi)
Armstrong limit 6.25 kilopascals (0.906 psi)
Mount Everest summit[11] 33.7 kilopascals (4.89 psi)
Earth sea level 101.3 kilopascals (14.69 psi)
24h
24h27m
686 DAYS
(687 SOLS)
23.44
25.19
SUNLIGHT
44% OF EARTH
C C D A E B
A
T
M
O
S
P
H
E
R
E
S
E
A
S
O
N
S
R
O
C
K
S
&
S
O
IL
IC
E
&
W
A
T
E
R
E
L
E
M
E
N
T
S
L
IG
H
T
&
R
A
D
A
T
IO
N
Trace amounts of
methane
was recently
detected, which
may indicate the
presence of life on
Mars, but may also
be produced by a
geochemical
process, volcanic
or hydrothermal
activity.
CO
2 95.32%
The atmosphere of
Mars is relatively thin
and is composed of
Other elemental
gases found in the
Martian atmosphere:
N
2
: 2.7%
Ar: 1.6%
O
2
: 0.13%
CO: 0.08%
H2O: 0.021%
NO: 0.01%
Ne: 0.00025%
HDO: 0.000085%
Kr: 0.00003%
Xe: 0.000008%
O, Oxygen
Si, Silicon
Fe, Iron
Mg, Magnesium
Ca, Calcium
S, Sulfur
Al, Aluminum
Na, Sodium
K, Potassium
Cl, Chlorine
MINERALS
OF
ABUNDANCE
SOIL COMPOSITION
O, Oxygen
Si, Silicon
Fe, Iron
K, Potassium
Ca, Calcium
Mg, Magnesium
S, Sulfur
Al, Aluminum
Cs, Cesium
40 - 45%
18 -25%
12- 15%
8%
3 - 5%
3 - 6%
2 - 5%
2 - 5%
0.1 - 0.5%
Periodic Table of the Elements
1
1
H
Hydrogen
1.007 94
Atomic Number 6
C
Carbon
12.0107
Symbol
Name
Average Atomic Mass

Group 18
Group 2

Group 13 Group 14 Group 15 Group 16 Group 17
2
He
Helium
4.002 60 Group 1
2
3
Li
Lithium
6.941
4
Be
Beryllium
9.012 182
5
B
Boron
10.811
6
C
Carbon
12.0107
7
N
Nitrogen
14.0067
8
O
Oxygen
15.9994
9
F
Fluorine
18.998 4032
10
Ne
Neon
20.1797
3
11
Na
Sodium
22.989 769 28
12
Mg
Magnesium
24.3050

13
Al
Aluminum
26.981 5386
14
Si
Silicon
28.0855
15
P
Phosphorus
30.973 762
16
S
Sulfur
32.065
17
Cl
Chlorine
35.453
18
Ar
Argon
39.948 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Group 9 Group 10 Group 11 Group 12
4
19
K
Potassium
39.0983
20
Ca
Calcium
40.078
21
Sc
Scandium
44.955 912
22
Ti
Titanium
47.867
23
V
Vanadium
50.9415
24
Cr
Chromium
51.9961
25
Mn
Manganese
54.938 045
26
Fe
Iron
55.845
27
Co
Cobalt
58.933 195
28
Ni
Nickel
58.6934
29
Cu
Copper
63.546
30
Zn
Zinc
65.409
31
Ga
Gallium
69.723
32
Ge
Germanium
72.64
33
As
Arsenic
74.921 60
34
Se
Selenium
78.96
35
Br
Bromine
79.904
36
Kr
Krypton
83.798
5
37
Rb
Rubidium
85.4678
38
Sr
Strontium
87.62
39
Y
Yttrium
88.905 85
40
Zr
Zirconium
91.224
41
Nb
Niobium
92.906 38
42
Mo
Molybdenum
95.94
43
Tc
Technetium
(98)
44
Ru
Ruthenium
101.07
45
Rh
Rhodium
102.905 50
46
Pd
Palladium
106.42
47
Ag
Silver
107.8682
48
Cd
Cadmium
112.411
49
In
Indium
114.818
50
Sn
Tin
118.710
51
Sb
Antimony
121.760
52
Te
Tellurium
127.60
53
I
Iodine
126.904 47
54
Xe
Xenon
131.293
6
55
Cs
Cesium
132.905 4519
56
Ba
Barium
137.327
57
La
Lanthanum
138.905 47
72
Hf
Hafnium
178.49
73
Ta
Tantalum
180.947 88
74
W
Tungsten
183.84
75
Re
Rhenium
186.207
76
Os
Osmium
190.23
77
Ir
Iridium
192.217
78
Pt
Platinum
195.084
79
Au
Gold
196.966 569
80
Hg
Mercury
200.59
81
Tl
Thallium
204.3833
82
Pb
Lead
207.2
83
Bi
Bismuth
208.980 40
84
Po
Polonium
(209)
85
At
Astatine
(210)
86
Rn
Radon
(222)
7
87
Fr
Francium
(223)
88
Ra
Radium
(226)
89
Ac
Actinium
(227)
104
Rf
Rutherfordium
(261)
105
Db
Dubnium
(262)
106
Sg
Seaborgium
(266)
107
Bh
Bohrium
(264)
108
Hs
Hassium
(277)
109
Mt
Meitnerium
(268)
110
Ds
Darmstadtium
(271)
111
Rg
Roentgenium
(272)
112
Uub*
Ununbium
(285)



114
Uuq*
Ununquadium
(289)



116
Uuh*
Ununhexium
(292)






P
h
y
s
ic
a
l p
r
o
p
e
r
tie
s
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2888/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table -
fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep533/.../lecture19.pdf -
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2003/
2003JE002060.shtml
Mars has an
axial tilt of
25.2.
middle atmosphere
upper atmosphere
~200km ~500km
thermosphere
~80km
mesophere
~50km
stratosphere
`10km
~45km
lower atmosphere
~10km
thin ice clouds
ozone layer
cirrus clouds
cummulus clouds
~0km
A Comparison of the Atmospheres
of Earth and Mars
Earth Mars
The scale height of the atmosphere is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi), somewhat higher
than Earth's 7 km. The atmosphere is quite dusty, giving the Martian sky a light brown
or orange color when seen from the surface; data from the Mars Exploration Rovers
indicate that suspended dust particles within the atmosphere are roughly 1.5
micrometres across. Mars's atmosphere as observed in layers:
Lower atmosphere: This is a warm region affected by heat from airborne dust and
from the ground.
Middle atmosphere: Mars has a jetstream, which flows in this region.
Upper atmosphere, or thermosphere: This region has very high temperatures, caused
by heating from the Sun. Atmospheric gases start to separate from each other at these
altitudes, rather than forming the even mix found in the lower atmospheric layers.
Exosphere: Typically stated to start at 200 km and higher, this region is where the last
wisps of atmosphere merge into the vacuum of space. There is no distinct boundary
where the atmosphere ends; it just tapers away.
Source: Robbins, Stuart J.; et al. ,2006 "Elemental composition of Mars' atmosphere". Case Western Reserve University
Department of Astronomy.
Potential Uses
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition available at any landing site on Mars. It
has been proposed that human exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2) from Martian
atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission. Mission studies that propose using the atmos-
phere in this way include the Mars Direct proposal of Robert Zubrin and the NASA Design reference
mission study. Two major chemical pathways for use of the carbon dioxide are the Sabatier reaction,
converting atmospheric carbon dioxide along with additional hydrogen (H2), to produce methane
(CH4) and oxygen (O2), and electrolysis, using a zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon
dioxide into oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
The incidence of the solar radiation on the surface of a planet depends on:
1. atmospheric turbitity 2. planetary latitude 3. planetary seasons
During the great martian dust storm of 1971, the daily insolation in the planet decreased
because the global atmospheric turbitity increased and consequently, the temperature of the
atmosphere too. It is expressed as
I0= incidence of solar radiation per cm2
(cal/cm2) (planetary day)
S0= solar constant. distance from the sun to earth
r = instantaneous dist from sun to mars that is determined by planets semimajor axis and eccentricity
of the planet
Ae = semi major axis of the earths orbit
z = zenith angle of the incident solar radiation, depending on planetary latitude, solar declination and
local hour angle of the sun
Mars has experienced extensive cyclical variation in the
intensity and distribution of incidence solar radiation.
Variation of obliquity = 14.9 to 35.5
Variation of eccentricty = 0.004 to 0.741
0 northern hemisphere, vernal equinox
90 northern hemisphere summer solitisce
180 northern hemisphere, autumn equinox
270 northern hemisphere winter solstice
(angle of declination of the sun)
Maximum radiation in the Northern and Southern
Poles because of the continuous daylight
in Martian poles: S: 600 cal/cm2 N: 400 cal/cm2
in Earth poles: S: 1100 cal/cm2 N: 1000 cal/cm2
Clear sky conditions:
Greater insolation in the soutern polar region than the
northern, thus southern winter is longer and colder.
Solar radiation incident at top of Martian Atmosphere
SOLAR LONTITUDE (SEASON)
600 100
270 180 90
0
100
100
300
300
3
5
0 3
0
0 2
0
0
350
350
350
200
200
0
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
360
500
400
L
A
T
IT
U
D
E
0
0
100
300
3
0
0 2
0
0
200
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
270 180 90 0 360
100
500
400
Solar radiation incident on Martian surface
SOLAR LONTITUDE (SEASON)
L
A
T
IT
U
D
E
100 300 200
0
Middle conditions:
Maximum incidence in the equator.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
270 180 90 0 360
Solar radiation incident on Martian surface
SOLAR LONTITUDE (SEASON)
100 200
200
150
150
325
200
100
100
100
50
50
50
0
Martian dust storms:
Maximum insolation in the tropics, and only small
amounts of solar radiation are reaching the polar
regions.
Solar radiation incident on Martian surface
SOLAR LONTITUDE (SEASON)
L
A
T
IT
U
D
E
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
270 180 90 0 360
10
15
20
35
40
0 10
20
0
0
0
I
0
= (S
0
/ (r/A
e
)
2
) cos z
Season Sols Days

Northern Spring, Southern Autumn: 193.30 92.764
Northern Summer, Southern Winter: 178.64 93.647
Northern Autumn, Southern Spring: 142.70 89.836
Northern Winter, Southern Summer: 153.95 88.997
This implies that there are seasons on Mars, like on Earth. The
eccentricity of Mars' orbit is 0.1, ( Earth's 0.02). The large eccen-
tricity causes the insolation on Mars to vary as the planet orbits
the Sun. As on Earth, Mars' obliquity dominates the seasons but
deu to the large eccentricity, winters in the south are long and
cold while those in the North are short and warm.
Like Earth, the obliquity of Mars undergoes periodic changes which can lead to long-lasting changes
in climate. Once again, the effect is more pronounced on Mars because it lacks the stabilizing
influence of a large moon. As a result the obliquity can alter by as much as 45. The effects of these
periodic climate changes can be seen in the layered nature of the ice cap at the Martian north pole.
Current research suggests that Mars is in a warm interglacial period which has lasted more than
100,000 years.
Because the Mars Global Surveyor was able to observe Mars for 4 Martian years, it was found that
Martian weather was similar from year to year. Any differences were directly related to changes in the
solar energy that reached Mars. Scientists were even able to accurately predict dust storms that
would occur during the landing of Beagle 2. Regional dust storms were discovered to be closely
related to where dust was available.
The dark areas of Mars are characterised by the mafic rock-forming
minerals olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase feldspar.
The mineral olivine occurs all over the planet, but some of the largest concentrations are in Nili Fossae, an area
containing Noachian-aged rocks. Another large olivine-rich outcrop is in Ganges Chasma, an eastern side chasm of
Valles Marineris (pictured). Olivine weathers rapidly into clay minerals in the presence of liquid water. Therefore, areas
with large outcroppings of olivine-bearing rock indicate that liquid water has not been abundant since the rocks
formed.
Pyroxene minerals are also widespread across the surface. Both low-calcium and high-calciumpyroxenes are
present, with the high-calcium varieties associated with younger volcanic shields and the low-calcium forms more
common in the old highland terrain. Because enstatite melts at a higher temperature than its high-calcium cousin,
some researchers have argued that its presence in the highlands indicates that older magmas on Mars had higher
temperatures than younger ones.
Due to the
thin atmosphere on
mars and the lack of
magnetic field around
it, Mars is highly
vulnerable from
space, mainly
solar and
cosmic rays.
Sedimentary rocks
Cross-bedded sandstones inside Victoria Crater.
Layered sedimentary deposits are widespread on
Mars. These deposits probably consist of both
sedimentary rock and poorly indurated or unconsoli-
dated sediments. Thick sedimentary deposits occur
in the interior of several canyons in Valles Marineris,
within large craters in Arabia and Meridiani Planum
(e.g. Henry Crater ), and probably comprise much of
the deposits in the northern lowlands (e.g., Vastitas
Borealis Formation). The Mars Exploration Rover
Opportunity landed in an area containing cross-
bedded (mainly eolian) sandstones. Fluvial-deltaic
deposits are present in Eberswalde Crater and
elsewhere, and photogeologic evidence suggests
that many craters and low lying intercrater areas in
the southern highlands contain Noachian-aged lake
sediments.
New estimates of water ice on Mars suggest there may be
larger reservoirs of underground ice at non-polar latitudes.
The map here shows water-equivalent hydrogen. Oranges
and redson the map (values greater than weight 4.5 %
water-equivalent hydrogen at the surface) point out areas
where the amount of deeply buried water ice is greater than
what can fit in the pore spaces of the surface rocks.
The deep
blue areas in
the polar
regions are
believed to
contain up to
in the upper
1m of the
soil.
50%
water ice
0.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 6.0
90
45
0
-45
-90
-180 -135 -90 -45 0 45 90 135 180
-180 -135 -90 -45 0 45 90 135 180
90
45
0
-45
-90
Observations by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft
show a global view of Mars in intermediate-energy, or epith-
ermal, neutrons. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by
the deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity
of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of
hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow
and red. The deep blue areas in the polar regions are
believed to contain up to 50 percent water ice in the upper
one meter (three feet) of the soil. Hydrogen in the far north is
hidden at this time beneath a layer of carbon dioxide frost
(dry ice). Light blue regions near the equator contain slightly
enhanced near-surface hydrogen, which is most likely
chemically or physically bound because water ice is not
stable near the equator. The view shown here is a map of
measurements made during the first three months of map-
ping using the neutron spectrometer instrument, part of the
gamma ray spectrometer instrument suite. The central
meridian in this projection is zero degrees longitude. Topo-
graphic features are superimposed on the map for geo-
graphic reference.
Source: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03800
ASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) data have recored evidence of CO2 snowfalls on Mars, unveiling the only known example of CO2 snow falling in our solar system.
CO2 freezes at -125C to become what is known as dry ice. The recent discovery established clouds that are composed of CO2 - flakes of Martian air - which are thick enough to result in snowfall accumulation at the surface.
The snow falls occurred from clouds around the south pole in winter (NASA's Phoenix Lander mission in 2008 observed falling water-ice snow on northern Mars.) The new analysis based on data from observations in the south
pole during southern Mars winter in 2006-07, identifys a tall CO2 cloud about 500 km diameter persisting over the pole and smaller, shorter-lived, lower-altitude CO2 ice clouds at latitudes from 70 to 80 degrees south.
Mars' south polar residual ice cap is the only place on Mars where frozen CO2 persists on the surface year-round. How the CO2 from Mars' atmosphere gets deposited is still in question. These results shows that snowfall is espe-
cially vigorous on top of the residual cap.The finding of snowfall could mean that the type of deposition - snow or frost - is somehow linked to the year-to-year preservation of the residual cap
Source: Nasa News Room, released : 11 Sep 2012
DRY I CE SNOWFALL ON MARS
90E 90W
0
180
90E 90W
0
180
90E 90W
0

1
8
0

ANTARTI CA
NORTH
POLE
MARS
SWEDEN
SOUTH
POLE
MARS
1: 100. 000.
1000 km
60
60
NORTHERN
POLAR CAP
SOUTHERN
POLAR CAP
1000 km
1: 33. 000. 000
RESIDUAL CAP
WINTER CAP (DRY ICE)
(OUTLINE SHOWS WATER
ICE CAP UNDERGROUND)
SWEDEN
MARCH
APRI L
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARS
INITIAL CRYSTALIZATIONEUTECTIC STAGE FULLY CRYSTALIZED
EARTH
MARS EARTH
1,520-1,840km
1,220km
2,328km
2,311km
400km
1,550-1,870km
SULPHIDE CORE SENARIO
Sulphur 14-16 % (by weight)
6,378 km
3,390 km
IN
N
E
R
C
O
R
E
O
U
T
E
R
C
O
R
E
M
A
N
T
L
E
IN
N
E
R

C
O
R
E
O
U
T
E
R

C
O
R
E
S
H
A
L
L
O
W

M
A
N
T
L
E
L
O
E
W
R

M
A
N
T
L
E
SNOWING CORE SENARIO
Sulphur 10-14 % (by weight)
COMPLETELY
MOLTEN CORE
Just like the core of the earth the core of mars is under transformation. The final stage of this transformation is a completely crystalized,
solid core. The graphic show two different senarios of this transformation depending on the amount of sulphur in the core
(The crust of the Earth is only one third as thick as
Mars's crust, relative to the sizes of the planets.)
CRUST THICKNESS
80km (max)
35km (min)
40km
(avg)
Just like Earth, Mars is a Terrestrial planet. Mean-
ing that they have approximately the same type of
structure: a central metallic core, mostly iron, with
a surrounding silicate mantle. The crust of Terres-
trial planets have canyons, craters, mountains,
and volcanoes.
EARTH
O X Y G E N
SILICON 27.7%
ALUMINIUM 8.1%
IRON 5.0%
CALCIUM 3.6%
SODIUM 2.8%
POTASSIUM 2.6 %
MAGNESIUM 2.1%
OTHERS 1.6 %
SOI L COMPOSI TI ON
MARS
O
X Y G
E N
SILICON 27.7%
ALUMINIUM 8.1%
IRON 5.0%
CALCIUM 3.6%
SODIUM 2.8% PO
TASSIU
M
2.6 %
M
A
G
N
ES
IU
M
2.1%
O
TH
ER
S
1.6 %
F
A
C
T
O
R
S
C
O
N
D
I
T
I
O
N
S
V
O
L
C
A
N
O
E
S
V
A
L
L
E
Y
S
P
L
A
IN
S
C
R
A
T
E
R
S
S
A
N
D
D
U
N
E
S
P
O
L
A
R
C
A
P
S
E
Q
U
A
T
O
R
IA
L
Lowest ni httime temperature [K ]
Ls 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 350
Sol 1 61 126 193 257 317 371 421 468 514 562 612 668
During one M
artian year measured at 0 longitude, various
latituted. Source: M
GS TES Jun 2000. - Apr. 2002.
Highest daytime temperatures during one Mars year [K ]
1 61 126 193 257 317 371 421 468 514 562 612 668
Ls 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 350

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
K
303
293
283
273
263
258
253
243
213
203
183
173
163
153
148
143
C
30
20
10
0
-10
-15
-20
-30
-60
-70
-90
-100
-110
-120
-125
-130
Legend
of Martian surface is covered by volcanic areas
10%
Ancient cratered terrain
Presence of fewer impact craters
-8km
-5km
0km
5km
10km
15km
20km 21km
-10km
-15km
8,5km
-11,5km
Olympus Mons
Hellas Planitia
Mount Everest
Mariana Trench
Relief in Mars: 29km Relief in Earth: 20km
Highest point in Mars
Lowest point in Mars
Lowest point in Earth
Highest point in Earth
E
x100 vertical exaggeration
E C C D D B B A A
ATMOSPHERE
& CLIMATE
RADIATION
CORE
1 Gullies, streaks, ripples and dust devil tracks on Russell Crater Dunes. 2 Exposure of Layers and Minerals in Candor Chasma. Cliff along a layered deposit in Valles
Marineris. Erosion by wind has carved V-shaped patterns along the edges of layers.
3 Victoria Crater at Meridiani Planum(~ 800m). Layered sedimentary rocks are exposed along
the inner wall of the crater, and boulders fallen from the crater wall are visible on the crater.
4 Dark sand cascades down top of dunes leaving dark surface streaks - streaks that might
appear at first to be trees standing in front of the lighter regions.
5 Part of the Abalos Undae dune field. The sands appear blueish because of their basaltic
composition, while the lighter areas are probably covered in dust.
6 A 4 km diameter "swiss cheese" terrain typical of the south polar cap. The bright areas in
this image are covered by carbon dioxide frost.
7 Avalanches on Mars' North Polar Scarps. Material, likely including fine-grained ice, dust and
large blocks, has detached from a towering cliff and cascaded to the gentler slopes below.
8 Dunes in a crater in Newton Basin that are eroding or covering a more coherent rock
structure below.
9 Fuzzy-looking landscape near Tharsis Montes. The out-of-focus regions indicates an
extremely smooth surface, which is due to a thick layer of dust blanketing the landscape.
10 A valley in Elysium region volcanic rise region. 11 Scalloped sand dunes in the southern hemisphere, displays seasonal frost on S-facing
slopes, highlighting some regular patterns, as the frost forms only on parts of the ripples.
12 Serpent Dust Devil of Mars by HiRISE camera on NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. 13 Intersecting swirling trails left by the earlier passage of dust devils across sand dunes, as
they lifted lighter reddish-pink dust and exposed the darker material below.
14 A large barchan (crescent-shaped) dune, in a region where some dunes have been
observed shrinking over several years.
15 Linear dunes in the north polar region. Networks of cracks between the linear dunes and
may indicate that ice-rich permafrost is present or was geologically present recently.
16 The dark fans of dust seen in this image comes from the surface below the layer of ice,
carried to the top by gas venting from below. Bright streaks in this image are fresh frost.
GLACIERS
NORTH POLE
During the summer, the caps recede but never com-
pletely disappear. The permanent cap at the Martian
north pole is formed not of dry ice, but of water ice. The
residual north polar cap has been measured to be about
1000 km in diameter with a thickness of about 3 km.
SOUTH POLE
The south polar cap is much smaller, ~350 km in size
and thicker than the north cap. It is formed of dry ice
with an unknown thickness of water ice. Here, the
temperature never gets above 150K, so the dry ice
survives the summer. The caps are different because of
the eccentricity of the Martian orbit which is over five
times that of the Earth, and larger than all planets
except Mercury and Pluto. This results in the planet
being significantly further from the sun during summer
at the south pole.
NORTHERN
POLAR CAP
SOUTHERN
POLAR CAP
1000 km
If the ice from the south pole was distributed uniformly
over the Martian surface, it would cover the planet 36
feet deep in liquid water. But the flood plains seen on
the surface suggest that there was over 10 times as
much water originally present on Mars.
EQUATORIAL
Recent discovery of the presence of water ice in the
euquatorial belt of Mars has lead to change in directioin
of rover missions. Studies of water on Mars can now
be carried out in the more tolerable climate in the
Equator, where previous studies were made inaccesible
in the polar regions by its harsh climate.
The Medusae Fossae Formation is a soft, easily eroded
deposit that extends for nearly 1,000 km along the
equator of Mars
Due to the thin atmosphere on Mars and no mag-
netic field around it, Mars is highly vulnerable to
radiation from space, namely solar radiation and
cosmic rays.
DUST DEVILS
Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a
flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through
the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead.
This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand
and leave behind a clean surface. Martian dust devils
can be up to fifty times as wide and ten times as high as
terrestrial dust devils, and large ones may pose a threat
to terrestrial technology sent to Mars. Dust devils have
been reported to clean dust of the solar panels of two
Rovers in Mars, restoring power levels and exapanding
work productivity.
These dune fields cover an area the size of Texas in a
band at the edge of Mars' north polar cap. Most data
suggested they were fairly static, but new satellite
observations have shown that towering sand dunes are
actually dynamic and active.
MOVEMENT OF SAND
The dunes are covered by a seasonal CO2 frost that
forms in early autumn and remains until late spring.
Grainflow is triggered by when the CO2 frost sublimes
seasonally.
This gas flow destabilizes the sand on Mars' sand
dunes, causing sand avalanches and creating new
alcoves, gullies and sand aprons on Martian dunes. In
some places, hundreds of cubic yards of sand have
avalanched down the face of the dunes.
Polar caps on Mars changes dramatically with the
seasons. In winter, the caps become much larger as
CO2 freezes on the surface . This happens when the
temperature drops to about 150K, and the cap extends
down to about latitude 50 by the beginning of spring.
oerkeokroeakrpeare iejrieamo
Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA
Effusive eruptions
SIZE
THARSIS PLANITA VALLES MARINERIS
SIZE FEATURES FEATURES FEATURES
10-
100X
larger
than earth
volcanoes
Magma chambers larger than in earth
Flows longer than in earth
1-2km
2000km
across
long
Rivers, lakes and
deltas
Quiet volcanic
eruption/
basaltic lava /
explosive ash eruption
(longer than valley)
CHANNELS
VALLEYS
Probably formed by release
of water from lakes and
explosive eruptions of
groundwater
Dry; resembles terrestial
river. Systems probably
formed by slow erosion of
running water
NORTHERN
PLAINS
VOLCANIC
PLAINS
Little relief;
Probably formed by
oceans and its surface is
composed of sediments.
e.g. Utopia Planita,
Chryse Planita
Composed of lava flows
eg. Tharsis Planita
It is a large plain of volcanic rock, measuring more than
8000km across and up to 8km in height.
It is the center of volcanic activity on Mars.
Several interconnected canyons.
Formed by erosion, but mostly by deformation of crust.
HELLAS PLANITA
Craters in old surfaces are more eroded
: 7000 km
depth: 8 km
CUENCA BOREALIS
Craters in young surfaces are lesseroded
: 8500 km
OLYMPUS MONS
ASCRAEUS MONS
PAVONIS MONS
MOUNT EVEREST
MAUNA LOA
ARSIA MONS
: 624 km

: 3
5
0
-4
5
0
k
m
ht: 25 km
ht: 18 km
ht: 17 km
ht: 14 km
ht: 8 km
ht: 4 km
Mauna Loa
Olympus Mons
Everest
120km
125km
624km
22km
4km
8,5km
Olympus mons is the highest peak in solar system.
Sealevel
Hecates
Tholus
Elysium
Mons
Albor
Tholus
ELYSIUM PLANITA
A smaler volcanic rise, measuring 2000km across and
6 km high. Main volcanoes:
: 180 km
ht: 7 km
240 km
15 km
160 km
4.5 km
Vertical scale exagerated 4 times
Valles Marineris
Depth: 7 km
Length: 4000 km
Width: 200 km
Grand Canyon Colorado
Depth: 1.6 km
Length: 446 km
Width: 6-29 km
Valles Marineris
USA
FEATURES FEATURES ICE AND WATER ON MARS
NORTHERN
HEMISPHERE
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE
Sparsely cratered
eg. Cuenca Borealis
(Formed ~3900 mil years ago)
Heavily cratered
eg. Hellas Planita
(Largest impact on mars)
Though Mars is smaller than Earth, its reliefs are larger
than Earths. Also, Mars has larger land mass when as
compared to Earth.
MANTEL CONVECTION
E
A
R
T
H
M
A
R
S
1 . 5 M
4 M
G
R
A
V
IT
Y
O
.3
8
O
F
E
A
R
T
H
OLYMPUS MONS
THARSIS MONTES
ALBA
ELYSIUM MONS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
OLYMPUS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
THARSIS PLANITIA
CHRYSE PLANITIA
ARGYRE PLANITIA
ARABIA PLANITIA
ELYSIUM
PLANITIA
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
VASTITAS BOREALIS
HELLAS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
DAEDALIA THAUMASIA
OLYMPUS
THARSIS
ALBA
TEMPE
CHRYSE
ARGYRE
NOACHIS
ARABIA
VASTITAS
BOREALIS
SYRTIS
MAJOR
ISIDIS ELYSIUM
HELLAS
VALLES MARINERIS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
DAEDALIA THAUMASIA
OLYMPUS
THARSIS
ALBA
TEMPE
CHRYSE
ARGYRE
NOACHIS
ARABIA
VASTITAS
BOREALIS
SYRTIS
MAJOR
ISIDIS ELYSIUM
HELLAS
VALLES MARINERIS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
DAEDALIA THAUMASIA
OLYMPUS
THARSIS
ALBA
TEMPE
CHRYSE
ARGYRE
NOACHIS
ARABIA
VASTITAS
BOREALIS
SYRTIS
MAJOR
ISIDIS ELYSIUM
HELLAS
VALLES MARINERIS
25.1
0
25.1
64.9
64.9
TYRRHENA PATERA
SABIS VALLIS
ABUS VALLIS
MAMERS VALLIS
APSUS VALLIS
TINJAR VALLIS
HERBUS VALLIS
HECATES THOLUS
HECATES THOLUS
ASCRAEUS MONS
PAVONIS MONS
ARSIA MONS
UTOPIA PLANITIA
MOREUX DUNES
GALLE DUNES
SAND DUNES
SEA OF SAND
DUNES
DUNES AND DUST
5
2
15
3
11
14
13
7
8
1
10
9
6 16
MEDUSAE FOSSAE
S
N
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several space-
craft have observed the storms rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive
answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to present chal-
lenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar
heating warms the martian atmosphere and causes the air to move, lifting dust
off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea
level--only the smallest dust grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is
about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the
entire solar system ( 6 km deep and 2000 km across), Over the years since it
has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at the
bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient
drives winds, which can carry dust all the way out of the crater, and envelops up
to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in
2001, which shrouded the planet in haze and raised the temperature of its upper
atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms (Science@NASA))
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
<what to build with>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition avail-
able at any landing site on Mars. It has been proposed that human
exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2) from Martian
atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major
chemical pathways for use of CO2 are the Sabatier reaction, con-
verting atmospheric CO2 along with additional hydrogen (H2), to
produce methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2), and electrolysis, using a
zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties,
how different it is from sand on earth. Also study the extend and
periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs explorations.
Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional
technology.

<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita,
equatorial belt, wind patterns, heating patterns
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image
has been draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors corre-
spond to the amplitude of the ripple's displacement extracted by
image correlation between two HiRISE observations separated by 105
days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75 cm of displacement
whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
3D PRINTING WITH SAND
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installa-
tion assembled by ying robots, free from the touch of human
hands. The installation is an expression of a rigorous architec-
tural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a visionary robotic system
by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture consists of
over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms
that translate digital design data to the behavior of the ying
machines. In this way, the ying vehicles, together, extend them-
selves as living architectural machines and complete the com-
position from their dynamic formation of movement and building
performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m
high vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in
1:100 scale. This newly founded village is located in the rural area
of Meuse, taking advantage of an existing TGV connection that
brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one hour. It is from this
quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors pursue
a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in
architecture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<SAND + ROBOTICS = FLIGHT ASSEMBLED ARCHITECTURE>
SALTATION OF SAND
Image credit: Bagnolds illustration on salation of sand
From the Latin verb to jump, this is the process whereby sand
grains move in the wind by individual leaps, and, landing on a hard
surface, bounce off again; if a grain lands amongst other grains on
the surface of a dune, the impact kicks some of them up into the
wind and the crowd of ying grains grows. It is these two contrast-
ing behaviours bouncing versus splashing that explain the
self-accumulating nature of dunes. Over a hard surface of rocks
and pebbles, the trajectories of individual grains are high into the
air, and they keep on bouncing. As soon as they hit a soft surface of
a dune, they kick off more grains, but the trajectories are lower and
shorter the dune grows.
How strong a wind is necessary to move sand? The threshold
velocities of the wind.
Why do dunes form at all? Why is the sand not spread evenly over
the desert oor? Whether on Earth or Mars (or, indeed, Venus or
Titan), dunes appear to be self-accumulating, seeming to vacuum
up sand from the bare stony areas between them they grow by
attracting more sand. Why did they absorb nourishment and
continue to grow instead of allowing the sand to spread out evenly
over the desert as ner dust grains do? was one of Bagnolds
questions. This was, he thought, something that could be explored
at home in England under laboratory-controlled conditions - and
so began his rigorous science. Two of the most important revela-
tions of Bagnolds work are the process of saltation and the role of
two different threshold velocities for the wind.
SAND BAGS
The project a kind of bio-architectural test-landscape would
thus "go from a balloon-like pneumatic structure lled with
bacillus pasteurii, which would then be released into the sand
and allowed to solidify the same into a permacultural architec-
ture."
Different types of construction methods involving pile systems
that could probably be used to get the bacteria down into the
sand a procedure that would be analogous to using an over-
sized 3D printer, solidifying parts of the dune as needed. The
piles would be pushed through the dune surface and a rst
layer of bacteria spread out, solidifying an initial surface within
the dune. They would then be pulled up, creating almost any
conceivable (structurally sound) surface along their way, with
the loose sand acting as a jig before being excavated to create
the necessary voids. If we allow ourselves to dream, we could
even fantasise about ways in which the wind could do a lot of
this work for us: solidifying parts of the surface to force the
grains of sand to align in certain patterns, certain shapes,
having the wind blow out our voids, creating a structure that
would change and change again over the course of a decade, a
century, a millenium.
<SAND + BACTERIA = BIO- ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE>
BACTERIA AS GLUE
Case study: Dune, Magnus Larsson
(http://www.magnuslarsson.com/architecture/dune.asp)
A particular microorganism, Bacillus Pasteurii, is ushed
through the dunescape (an analogy could be made to an over-
sized 3d printer), which causes a biological reaction that turns
the sand into solid sandstone. The initial reactions nish within
24 hours; it would take about a week to saturate the sand
enough to make the structure habitable. The bacteria are
non-patogenic and die in the process of solidifying the sand.
This part of the project relies upon research carried out by
professor Jason De Jong's team at the Soil Interactions Labo-
ratory, UC Davis (http://www.sil.ucdavis.edu/people-jason.htm)
Dust storm on Mars. Image credit: NASA/JPL
ACOUSTIC LEVITATION DISLODGINGMARTIANDUST
<SAND + SONAR = ACOUSTIC LEVITATION>
Finding ways of dealing with the ne dust is a high priority because
the problems it can cause could drastically affect any long-term
exploration. The thin atmosphere on Mars means dust particles are
not as rounded as they would be on Earth and can remain quite
sharp and abrasive, and they have a high electrostatic charge,
which means the ne dust clings to everything and can penetrate
space suit air locks, and make solar panels inoperable. The
researchers from the Department of Physics and Materials Science
Program carried out a feasibility study to develop an acoustic dust
removing system for use in space stations or habitations on the
Moon or Mars. They found a high-pitched (13.8 kHz, 128 dB) stand-
ing wave of sound emitted from a 3 cm aperture tweeter and
focused on a reector 9 cm away was strong enough to dislodge
and move extremely ne (<2 m diameter) dust particles on the
reector surface. The sound waves overcome the van der Waals
adhesive force that binds dust particles to the surface, and creates
enough pressure to levitate the dust, which is then blown away.
The team tested the system on a solar panel coated with mock
lunar and Martian dust. The output of the clean panel was 4 volts,
but when coated with dust it produced only 0.4 volts. After four
minutes of acoustic levitation treatment the output returned to
98.4% of the maximum. Study co-author Junrun Wu said acoustic
levitation is not new, but this is the rst time it has been considered
for applications away from Earth. The technology is cheap and uses
readily found parts, but there is one enormous problem: it will only
work when it is sealed inside a space station or other habitation. It
will not work where there is no atmosphere (such as the moon) or
where the atmosphere is low pressure and thin (such as Mars)
because sound is a pressure wave that travels through the air. This
limits its usefulness because inside an enclosed space station
there would be relatively little dust, and probably other readily-
available means of removing it without resorting to acoustic levita-
tion.
The paper is published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of
America in January.
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011
The Solar Sinter - The Potential of Desert Manufacturing
In a world increasingly concerned with questions of energy pro-
duction and raw material shortages, the Solar Sinter project
explores the potential of desert manufacturing, where energy and
material occur in abundance. In this experiment sunlight and
sand are used as raw energy and material to produce glass
objects using a 3D printing process, that combines natural energy
and material with high-tech production technology. Solar-
sintering aims to raise questions about the future of manufactur-
ing and trigger dreams of the full utilisation of the production
potential of the worlds most efcient energy resource - the sun.
Whilst not providing denitive answers this experiment aims to
provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.
This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter,
that used the power of the sun to drive it and directly harnessed
its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D components
using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced compo-
nents in thin plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious
hybrid of machine-made and nature craft due to the crudeness
of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and
allowed to cool solidies as glass. This process of converting a
powdery substance via a heating process into a solid form is
known as sintering and has in recent years become a central
process in design prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the
suns rays instead of a laser and sand instead of resins, The basis
of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production pro-
cess for making glass objects that taps into the abundant sup-
plies of sun and sand to be found in the deserts of the world.
<SAND + SOLAR = SOLAR SINTER>
Image credit: Markus Kayser
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious
geometrical modules. (Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
SI, SILICON + + = ???
FE, IRON SUN
MG, MAGNESIUM LIGHTING
CA, CALCIUM WIND
0, OXYGEN RADIATION
CA, CALCIUM WATER
S, SULFUR BACTERIA
AL, ALUMINUM .
NA, SODIUM .
K, POTASSIUM
CL, CHLORINE
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create local building
material, while clearing up the atmosphere to improve visibility and habitability
of Mars.

To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-deployed construc-
tion. To discuss the immanence and potentials of dust - by convention dened to
be kept out and away - into a handy, accessible resource, working in line with
natural phenomenons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh landscape of
Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in the search of
emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major.
Ideal location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation
even during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it
could be that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also
be that the sand in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating.
LOCATION
My project presents a support infrastructure for production of built material, which
doubles up as
Option 1: Materials/ Geological research facility
Option 2: Launching/landing base.
The structure I propose in my project is modular to allow for growth of the base according
to the arising needs. Similar modules can arrive depending on functional demands.
Flexibility of the base modules themselves allows them to be assembled in various ways
to attain different structures.
The foundation of the base does not require terrain leveling, instead the base columns
are strengthen over time as sand and dust composite deposits on it, until it reaches a
certain stiffness and stability for human inhabitation.
Modularity
The proposed solution is characterized by a high level of unication of elements, to the
furthest possible extent. It allows exchange of functions between the individual domes in
case one of them is damaged. Each module also serves as pressurised volumes in which
various functions can take place in each of the four wings, with a central atrium where
one access the vertical circulation tunnel.
Pneumatic architecture.
While adapting the technologies of portable architecture to the construction potential of
space architecture three concepts were deemed most suitable: metal, mixed and pneu-
matic structures. Pneumatic architecture allows structure to be taken down easily and
reconstructued at another location. The skin can also be prefabricated to suit the adher-
ance property of sand and dust particles in Mars that determines the movement or
saltation of sand. S
PROGRAMME
Intermediate stage between I &II will be the focus of the project, where few small
and tight research base are set up in anticipation of more teams working on
Mars. More dwelling structure have to be built to increase habitable space in a
short span of time, and limited resource from Earth. An infrastructural set up for
the production of local built materials will have to be set up. Large structure need
not always require specic ground preparation, a combination of portable instal-
lations, robotics assembly and working with natural elements can yield quick
results.
Base development stages.
Stage I: Manned missions to Mars can be launched every 3 years. Slowly more
and more small modules will appear on Mars and a settlement of such metal
cylinders, linked with airlocks will appear, enlarging the usage surface of the
growing Martian base. Various scientic equipment and robots can be sent,
including ones enabling production based on local resources.
Stage II: These resources will allow construction of habitats for several dozen or
more people. Also deployable habitats can be brought from Earth. A transport
module 8 m in diameter and height, instead of a return vehicle can contain struc-
tures packed in a way portable architecture is packed on Earth. Thus, without
using local resources or more complex methods large habitable space can be
gained. This is the issue I am trying to solve in this paper.
Stage III: In the future large human settlements may appear on the surface of the
Red Planet. They will be covered by great domes or placed underground. Terra-
forming and change of the atmosphere into one suitable for breathing will last for
100 years.
WHEN
WHY
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
DESIGN PROPOSAL CONCEPT EXPLORATION
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several space-
craft have observed the storms rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive
answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to present chal-
lenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar
heating warms the martian atmosphere and causes the air to move, lifting dust
off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea
level--only the smallest dust grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is
about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the
entire solar system ( 6 km deep and 2000 km across), Over the years since it
has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at the
bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient
drives winds, which can carry dust all the way out of the crater, and envelops up
to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in
2001, which shrouded the planet in haze and raised the temperature of its upper
atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms (Science@NASA))
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
<what to build with>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition avail-
able at any landing site on Mars. It has been proposed that human
exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2) from Martian
atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major
chemical pathways for use of CO2 are the Sabatier reaction, con-
verting atmospheric CO2 along with additional hydrogen (H2), to
produce methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2), and electrolysis, using a
zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties,
how different it is from sand on earth. Also study the extend and
periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs explorations.
Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional
technology.

<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita,
equatorial belt, wind patterns, heating patterns
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image
has been draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors corre-
spond to the amplitude of the ripple's displacement extracted by
image correlation between two HiRISE observations separated by 105
days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75 cm of displacement
whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
3D PRINTING WITH SAND
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installa-
tion assembled by ying robots, free from the touch of human
hands. The installation is an expression of a rigorous architec-
tural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a visionary robotic system
by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture consists of
over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms
that translate digital design data to the behavior of the ying
machines. In this way, the ying vehicles, together, extend them-
selves as living architectural machines and complete the com-
position from their dynamic formation of movement and building
performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m
high vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in
1:100 scale. This newly founded village is located in the rural area
of Meuse, taking advantage of an existing TGV connection that
brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one hour. It is from this
quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors pursue
a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in
architecture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<SAND + ROBOTICS = FLIGHT ASSEMBLED ARCHITECTURE>
SALTATION OF SAND
Image credit: Bagnolds illustration on salation of sand
From the Latin verb to jump, this is the process whereby sand
grains move in the wind by individual leaps, and, landing on a hard
surface, bounce off again; if a grain lands amongst other grains on
the surface of a dune, the impact kicks some of them up into the
wind and the crowd of ying grains grows. It is these two contrast-
ing behaviours bouncing versus splashing that explain the
self-accumulating nature of dunes. Over a hard surface of rocks
and pebbles, the trajectories of individual grains are high into the
air, and they keep on bouncing. As soon as they hit a soft surface of
a dune, they kick off more grains, but the trajectories are lower and
shorter the dune grows.
How strong a wind is necessary to move sand? The threshold
velocities of the wind.
Why do dunes form at all? Why is the sand not spread evenly over
the desert oor? Whether on Earth or Mars (or, indeed, Venus or
Titan), dunes appear to be self-accumulating, seeming to vacuum
up sand from the bare stony areas between them they grow by
attracting more sand. Why did they absorb nourishment and
continue to grow instead of allowing the sand to spread out evenly
over the desert as ner dust grains do? was one of Bagnolds
questions. This was, he thought, something that could be explored
at home in England under laboratory-controlled conditions - and
so began his rigorous science. Two of the most important revela-
tions of Bagnolds work are the process of saltation and the role of
two different threshold velocities for the wind.
SAND BAGS
The project a kind of bio-architectural test-landscape would
thus "go from a balloon-like pneumatic structure lled with
bacillus pasteurii, which would then be released into the sand
and allowed to solidify the same into a permacultural architec-
ture."
Different types of construction methods involving pile systems
that could probably be used to get the bacteria down into the
sand a procedure that would be analogous to using an over-
sized 3D printer, solidifying parts of the dune as needed. The
piles would be pushed through the dune surface and a rst
layer of bacteria spread out, solidifying an initial surface within
the dune. They would then be pulled up, creating almost any
conceivable (structurally sound) surface along their way, with
the loose sand acting as a jig before being excavated to create
the necessary voids. If we allow ourselves to dream, we could
even fantasise about ways in which the wind could do a lot of
this work for us: solidifying parts of the surface to force the
grains of sand to align in certain patterns, certain shapes,
having the wind blow out our voids, creating a structure that
would change and change again over the course of a decade, a
century, a millenium.
<SAND + BACTERIA = BIO- ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE>
BACTERIA AS GLUE
Case study: Dune, Magnus Larsson
(http://www.magnuslarsson.com/architecture/dune.asp)
A particular microorganism, Bacillus Pasteurii, is ushed
through the dunescape (an analogy could be made to an over-
sized 3d printer), which causes a biological reaction that turns
the sand into solid sandstone. The initial reactions nish within
24 hours; it would take about a week to saturate the sand
enough to make the structure habitable. The bacteria are
non-patogenic and die in the process of solidifying the sand.
This part of the project relies upon research carried out by
professor Jason De Jong's team at the Soil Interactions Labo-
ratory, UC Davis (http://www.sil.ucdavis.edu/people-jason.htm)
Dust storm on Mars. Image credit: NASA/JPL
ACOUSTIC LEVITATION DISLODGINGMARTIANDUST
<SAND + SONAR = ACOUSTIC LEVITATION>
Finding ways of dealing with the ne dust is a high priority because
the problems it can cause could drastically affect any long-term
exploration. The thin atmosphere on Mars means dust particles are
not as rounded as they would be on Earth and can remain quite
sharp and abrasive, and they have a high electrostatic charge,
which means the ne dust clings to everything and can penetrate
space suit air locks, and make solar panels inoperable. The
researchers from the Department of Physics and Materials Science
Program carried out a feasibility study to develop an acoustic dust
removing system for use in space stations or habitations on the
Moon or Mars. They found a high-pitched (13.8 kHz, 128 dB) stand-
ing wave of sound emitted from a 3 cm aperture tweeter and
focused on a reector 9 cm away was strong enough to dislodge
and move extremely ne (<2 m diameter) dust particles on the
reector surface. The sound waves overcome the van der Waals
adhesive force that binds dust particles to the surface, and creates
enough pressure to levitate the dust, which is then blown away.
The team tested the system on a solar panel coated with mock
lunar and Martian dust. The output of the clean panel was 4 volts,
but when coated with dust it produced only 0.4 volts. After four
minutes of acoustic levitation treatment the output returned to
98.4% of the maximum. Study co-author Junrun Wu said acoustic
levitation is not new, but this is the rst time it has been considered
for applications away from Earth. The technology is cheap and uses
readily found parts, but there is one enormous problem: it will only
work when it is sealed inside a space station or other habitation. It
will not work where there is no atmosphere (such as the moon) or
where the atmosphere is low pressure and thin (such as Mars)
because sound is a pressure wave that travels through the air. This
limits its usefulness because inside an enclosed space station
there would be relatively little dust, and probably other readily-
available means of removing it without resorting to acoustic levita-
tion.
The paper is published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of
America in January.
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011
The Solar Sinter - The Potential of Desert Manufacturing
In a world increasingly concerned with questions of energy pro-
duction and raw material shortages, the Solar Sinter project
explores the potential of desert manufacturing, where energy and
material occur in abundance. In this experiment sunlight and
sand are used as raw energy and material to produce glass
objects using a 3D printing process, that combines natural energy
and material with high-tech production technology. Solar-
sintering aims to raise questions about the future of manufactur-
ing and trigger dreams of the full utilisation of the production
potential of the worlds most efcient energy resource - the sun.
Whilst not providing denitive answers this experiment aims to
provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.
This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter,
that used the power of the sun to drive it and directly harnessed
its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D components
using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced compo-
nents in thin plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious
hybrid of machine-made and nature craft due to the crudeness
of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and
allowed to cool solidies as glass. This process of converting a
powdery substance via a heating process into a solid form is
known as sintering and has in recent years become a central
process in design prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the
suns rays instead of a laser and sand instead of resins, The basis
of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production pro-
cess for making glass objects that taps into the abundant sup-
plies of sun and sand to be found in the deserts of the world.
<SAND + SOLAR = SOLAR SINTER>
Image credit: Markus Kayser
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious
geometrical modules. (Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
SI, SILICON + + = ???
FE, IRON SUN
MG, MAGNESIUM LIGHTING
CA, CALCIUM WIND
0, OXYGEN RADIATION
CA, CALCIUM WATER
S, SULFUR BACTERIA
AL, ALUMINUM .
NA, SODIUM .
K, POTASSIUM
CL, CHLORINE
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create local building
material, while clearing up the atmosphere to improve visibility and habitability
of Mars.

To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-deployed construc-
tion. To discuss the immanence and potentials of dust - by convention dened to
be kept out and away - into a handy, accessible resource, working in line with
natural phenomenons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh landscape of
Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in the search of
emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major.
Ideal location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation
even during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it
could be that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also
be that the sand in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating.
LOCATION
My project presents a support infrastructure for production of built material, which
doubles up as
Option 1: Materials/ Geological research facility
Option 2: Launching/landing base.
The structure I propose in my project is modular to allow for growth of the base according
to the arising needs. Similar modules can arrive depending on functional demands.
Flexibility of the base modules themselves allows them to be assembled in various ways
to attain different structures.
The foundation of the base does not require terrain leveling, instead the base columns
are strengthen over time as sand and dust composite deposits on it, until it reaches a
certain stiffness and stability for human inhabitation.
Modularity
The proposed solution is characterized by a high level of unication of elements, to the
furthest possible extent. It allows exchange of functions between the individual domes in
case one of them is damaged. Each module also serves as pressurised volumes in which
various functions can take place in each of the four wings, with a central atrium where
one access the vertical circulation tunnel.
Pneumatic architecture.
While adapting the technologies of portable architecture to the construction potential of
space architecture three concepts were deemed most suitable: metal, mixed and pneu-
matic structures. Pneumatic architecture allows structure to be taken down easily and
reconstructued at another location. The skin can also be prefabricated to suit the adher-
ance property of sand and dust particles in Mars that determines the movement or
saltation of sand. S
PROGRAMME
Intermediate stage between I &II will be the focus of the project, where few small
and tight research base are set up in anticipation of more teams working on
Mars. More dwelling structure have to be built to increase habitable space in a
short span of time, and limited resource from Earth. An infrastructural set up for
the production of local built materials will have to be set up. Large structure need
not always require specic ground preparation, a combination of portable instal-
lations, robotics assembly and working with natural elements can yield quick
results.
Base development stages.
Stage I: Manned missions to Mars can be launched every 3 years. Slowly more
and more small modules will appear on Mars and a settlement of such metal
cylinders, linked with airlocks will appear, enlarging the usage surface of the
growing Martian base. Various scientic equipment and robots can be sent,
including ones enabling production based on local resources.
Stage II: These resources will allow construction of habitats for several dozen or
more people. Also deployable habitats can be brought from Earth. A transport
module 8 m in diameter and height, instead of a return vehicle can contain struc-
tures packed in a way portable architecture is packed on Earth. Thus, without
using local resources or more complex methods large habitable space can be
gained. This is the issue I am trying to solve in this paper.
Stage III: In the future large human settlements may appear on the surface of the
Red Planet. They will be covered by great domes or placed underground. Terra-
forming and change of the atmosphere into one suitable for breathing will last for
100 years.
WHEN
WHY
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
DESIGN PROPOSAL CONCEPT EXPLORATION
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several space-
craft have observed the storms rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive
answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to present chal-
lenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar
heating warms the martian atmosphere and causes the air to move, lifting dust
off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea
level--only the smallest dust grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is
about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the
entire solar system ( 6 km deep and 2000 km across), Over the years since it
has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at the
bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient
drives winds, which can carry dust all the way out of the crater, and envelops up
to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in
2001, which shrouded the planet in haze and raised the temperature of its upper
atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms (Science@NASA))
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
<what to build with>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition avail-
able at any landing site on Mars. It has been proposed that human
exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2) from Martian
atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major
chemical pathways for use of CO2 are the Sabatier reaction, con-
verting atmospheric CO2 along with additional hydrogen (H2), to
produce methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2), and electrolysis, using a
zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties,
how different it is from sand on earth. Also study the extend and
periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs explorations.
Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional
technology.

<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita,
equatorial belt, wind patterns, heating patterns
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image
has been draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors corre-
spond to the amplitude of the ripple's displacement extracted by
image correlation between two HiRISE observations separated by 105
days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75 cm of displacement
whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
3D PRINTING WITH SAND
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installa-
tion assembled by ying robots, free from the touch of human
hands. The installation is an expression of a rigorous architec-
tural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a visionary robotic system
by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture consists of
over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms
that translate digital design data to the behavior of the ying
machines. In this way, the ying vehicles, together, extend them-
selves as living architectural machines and complete the com-
position from their dynamic formation of movement and building
performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m
high vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in
1:100 scale. This newly founded village is located in the rural area
of Meuse, taking advantage of an existing TGV connection that
brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one hour. It is from this
quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors pursue
a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in
architecture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<SAND + ROBOTICS = FLIGHT ASSEMBLED ARCHITECTURE>
SALTATION OF SAND
Image credit: Bagnolds illustration on salation of sand
From the Latin verb to jump, this is the process whereby sand
grains move in the wind by individual leaps, and, landing on a hard
surface, bounce off again; if a grain lands amongst other grains on
the surface of a dune, the impact kicks some of them up into the
wind and the crowd of ying grains grows. It is these two contrast-
ing behaviours bouncing versus splashing that explain the
self-accumulating nature of dunes. Over a hard surface of rocks
and pebbles, the trajectories of individual grains are high into the
air, and they keep on bouncing. As soon as they hit a soft surface of
a dune, they kick off more grains, but the trajectories are lower and
shorter the dune grows.
How strong a wind is necessary to move sand? The threshold
velocities of the wind.
Why do dunes form at all? Why is the sand not spread evenly over
the desert oor? Whether on Earth or Mars (or, indeed, Venus or
Titan), dunes appear to be self-accumulating, seeming to vacuum
up sand from the bare stony areas between them they grow by
attracting more sand. Why did they absorb nourishment and
continue to grow instead of allowing the sand to spread out evenly
over the desert as ner dust grains do? was one of Bagnolds
questions. This was, he thought, something that could be explored
at home in England under laboratory-controlled conditions - and
so began his rigorous science. Two of the most important revela-
tions of Bagnolds work are the process of saltation and the role of
two different threshold velocities for the wind.
SAND BAGS
The project a kind of bio-architectural test-landscape would
thus "go from a balloon-like pneumatic structure lled with
bacillus pasteurii, which would then be released into the sand
and allowed to solidify the same into a permacultural architec-
ture."
Different types of construction methods involving pile systems
that could probably be used to get the bacteria down into the
sand a procedure that would be analogous to using an over-
sized 3D printer, solidifying parts of the dune as needed. The
piles would be pushed through the dune surface and a rst
layer of bacteria spread out, solidifying an initial surface within
the dune. They would then be pulled up, creating almost any
conceivable (structurally sound) surface along their way, with
the loose sand acting as a jig before being excavated to create
the necessary voids. If we allow ourselves to dream, we could
even fantasise about ways in which the wind could do a lot of
this work for us: solidifying parts of the surface to force the
grains of sand to align in certain patterns, certain shapes,
having the wind blow out our voids, creating a structure that
would change and change again over the course of a decade, a
century, a millenium.
<SAND + BACTERIA = BIO- ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE>
BACTERIA AS GLUE
Case study: Dune, Magnus Larsson
(http://www.magnuslarsson.com/architecture/dune.asp)
A particular microorganism, Bacillus Pasteurii, is ushed
through the dunescape (an analogy could be made to an over-
sized 3d printer), which causes a biological reaction that turns
the sand into solid sandstone. The initial reactions nish within
24 hours; it would take about a week to saturate the sand
enough to make the structure habitable. The bacteria are
non-patogenic and die in the process of solidifying the sand.
This part of the project relies upon research carried out by
professor Jason De Jong's team at the Soil Interactions Labo-
ratory, UC Davis (http://www.sil.ucdavis.edu/people-jason.htm)
Dust storm on Mars. Image credit: NASA/JPL
ACOUSTIC LEVITATION DISLODGINGMARTIANDUST
<SAND + SONAR = ACOUSTIC LEVITATION>
Finding ways of dealing with the ne dust is a high priority because
the problems it can cause could drastically affect any long-term
exploration. The thin atmosphere on Mars means dust particles are
not as rounded as they would be on Earth and can remain quite
sharp and abrasive, and they have a high electrostatic charge,
which means the ne dust clings to everything and can penetrate
space suit air locks, and make solar panels inoperable. The
researchers from the Department of Physics and Materials Science
Program carried out a feasibility study to develop an acoustic dust
removing system for use in space stations or habitations on the
Moon or Mars. They found a high-pitched (13.8 kHz, 128 dB) stand-
ing wave of sound emitted from a 3 cm aperture tweeter and
focused on a reector 9 cm away was strong enough to dislodge
and move extremely ne (<2 m diameter) dust particles on the
reector surface. The sound waves overcome the van der Waals
adhesive force that binds dust particles to the surface, and creates
enough pressure to levitate the dust, which is then blown away.
The team tested the system on a solar panel coated with mock
lunar and Martian dust. The output of the clean panel was 4 volts,
but when coated with dust it produced only 0.4 volts. After four
minutes of acoustic levitation treatment the output returned to
98.4% of the maximum. Study co-author Junrun Wu said acoustic
levitation is not new, but this is the rst time it has been considered
for applications away from Earth. The technology is cheap and uses
readily found parts, but there is one enormous problem: it will only
work when it is sealed inside a space station or other habitation. It
will not work where there is no atmosphere (such as the moon) or
where the atmosphere is low pressure and thin (such as Mars)
because sound is a pressure wave that travels through the air. This
limits its usefulness because inside an enclosed space station
there would be relatively little dust, and probably other readily-
available means of removing it without resorting to acoustic levita-
tion.
The paper is published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of
America in January.
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011
The Solar Sinter - The Potential of Desert Manufacturing
In a world increasingly concerned with questions of energy pro-
duction and raw material shortages, the Solar Sinter project
explores the potential of desert manufacturing, where energy and
material occur in abundance. In this experiment sunlight and
sand are used as raw energy and material to produce glass
objects using a 3D printing process, that combines natural energy
and material with high-tech production technology. Solar-
sintering aims to raise questions about the future of manufactur-
ing and trigger dreams of the full utilisation of the production
potential of the worlds most efcient energy resource - the sun.
Whilst not providing denitive answers this experiment aims to
provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.
This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter,
that used the power of the sun to drive it and directly harnessed
its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D components
using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced compo-
nents in thin plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious
hybrid of machine-made and nature craft due to the crudeness
of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and
allowed to cool solidies as glass. This process of converting a
powdery substance via a heating process into a solid form is
known as sintering and has in recent years become a central
process in design prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the
suns rays instead of a laser and sand instead of resins, The basis
of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production pro-
cess for making glass objects that taps into the abundant sup-
plies of sun and sand to be found in the deserts of the world.
<SAND + SOLAR = SOLAR SINTER>
Image credit: Markus Kayser
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious
geometrical modules. (Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
SI, SILICON + + = ???
FE, IRON SUN
MG, MAGNESIUM LIGHTING
CA, CALCIUM WIND
0, OXYGEN RADIATION
CA, CALCIUM WATER
S, SULFUR BACTERIA
AL, ALUMINUM .
NA, SODIUM .
K, POTASSIUM
CL, CHLORINE
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create local building
material, while clearing up the atmosphere to improve visibility and habitability
of Mars.

To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-deployed construc-
tion. To discuss the immanence and potentials of dust - by convention dened to
be kept out and away - into a handy, accessible resource, working in line with
natural phenomenons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh landscape of
Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in the search of
emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major.
Ideal location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation
even during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it
could be that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also
be that the sand in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating.
LOCATION
My project presents a support infrastructure for production of built material, which
doubles up as
Option 1: Materials/ Geological research facility
Option 2: Launching/landing base.
The structure I propose in my project is modular to allow for growth of the base according
to the arising needs. Similar modules can arrive depending on functional demands.
Flexibility of the base modules themselves allows them to be assembled in various ways
to attain different structures.
The foundation of the base does not require terrain leveling, instead the base columns
are strengthen over time as sand and dust composite deposits on it, until it reaches a
certain stiffness and stability for human inhabitation.
Modularity
The proposed solution is characterized by a high level of unication of elements, to the
furthest possible extent. It allows exchange of functions between the individual domes in
case one of them is damaged. Each module also serves as pressurised volumes in which
various functions can take place in each of the four wings, with a central atrium where
one access the vertical circulation tunnel.
Pneumatic architecture.
While adapting the technologies of portable architecture to the construction potential of
space architecture three concepts were deemed most suitable: metal, mixed and pneu-
matic structures. Pneumatic architecture allows structure to be taken down easily and
reconstructued at another location. The skin can also be prefabricated to suit the adher-
ance property of sand and dust particles in Mars that determines the movement or
saltation of sand. S
PROGRAMME
Intermediate stage between I &II will be the focus of the project, where few small
and tight research base are set up in anticipation of more teams working on
Mars. More dwelling structure have to be built to increase habitable space in a
short span of time, and limited resource from Earth. An infrastructural set up for
the production of local built materials will have to be set up. Large structure need
not always require specic ground preparation, a combination of portable instal-
lations, robotics assembly and working with natural elements can yield quick
results.
Base development stages.
Stage I: Manned missions to Mars can be launched every 3 years. Slowly more
and more small modules will appear on Mars and a settlement of such metal
cylinders, linked with airlocks will appear, enlarging the usage surface of the
growing Martian base. Various scientic equipment and robots can be sent,
including ones enabling production based on local resources.
Stage II: These resources will allow construction of habitats for several dozen or
more people. Also deployable habitats can be brought from Earth. A transport
module 8 m in diameter and height, instead of a return vehicle can contain struc-
tures packed in a way portable architecture is packed on Earth. Thus, without
using local resources or more complex methods large habitable space can be
gained. This is the issue I am trying to solve in this paper.
Stage III: In the future large human settlements may appear on the surface of the
Red Planet. They will be covered by great domes or placed underground. Terra-
forming and change of the atmosphere into one suitable for breathing will last for
100 years.
WHEN
WHY
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
DESIGN PROPOSAL CONCEPT EXPLORATION
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create
local building material, while clearing up the atmosphere to
improve visibility and habitability of Mars.
To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-
deployed construction. To discuss the immanence and potentials
of dust - by convention dened to be kept out and away - into a
handy, accessible resource, working in line with natural phenom-
enons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh
landscape of Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in
the search of emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-
planetary fashion.
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create
local building material, while clearing up the atmosphere to
improve visibility and habitability of Mars.
To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-
deployed construction. To discuss the immanence and potentials
of dust - by convention dened to be kept out and away - into a
handy, accessible resource, working in line with natural phenom-
enons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly
harsh landscape of Mars. New technology could also be applied
back on Earth to counter the destructive forces of sandstorms
and desertication.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in
the search of emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-
planetary fashion.
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several spacecraft have observed the storms
rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to
present challenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar heating warms the martian atmos-
phere and causes the air to move, lifting dust off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea level--only the smallest dust
grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the entire solar system ( 6 km deep and
2000 km across), Over the years since it has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at
the bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient drives winds, which can carry dust
all the way out of the crater, and envelops up to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in 2001, which shrouded the planet in
haze and raised the temperature of its upper atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms
(Science@NASA))
Option 1: Materials production and storage infrastructure and research base.
Option 2: Landing/lauchning pad and materials facility.
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several spacecraft have observed the storms
rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to
present challenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar heating warms the martian atmos-
phere and causes the air to move, lifting dust off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea level--only the smallest dust
grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the entire solar system ( 6 km deep and
2000 km across), Over the years since it has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at
the bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient drives winds, which can carry dust
all the way out of the crater, and envelops up to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in 2001, which shrouded the planet in
haze and raised the temperature of its upper atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms
(Science@NASA))
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major. Ideal loca-
tion will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation even during dust
storms (20-40 cal/cm2). and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it could be
that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also be that the sand
in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating (or heating?) agent itself? To be researched on in
detail.
LOCATION
PROGRAMME
WHEN
DESIGN
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious geometrical modules.
(Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create
local building material, while clearing up the atmosphere to
improve visibility and habitability of Mars.
To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-
deployed construction. To discuss the immanence and potentials
of dust - by convention dened to be kept out and away - into a
handy, accessible resource, working in line with natural phenom-
enons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh
landscape of Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in
the search of emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-
planetary fashion.
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create
local building material, while clearing up the atmosphere to
improve visibility and habitability of Mars.
To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-
deployed construction. To discuss the immanence and potentials
of dust - by convention dened to be kept out and away - into a
handy, accessible resource, working in line with natural phenom-
enons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly
harsh landscape of Mars. New technology could also be applied
back on Earth to counter the destructive forces of sandstorms
and desertication.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in
the search of emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-
planetary fashion.
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several spacecraft have observed the storms
rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to
present challenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar heating warms the martian atmos-
phere and causes the air to move, lifting dust off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea level--only the smallest dust
grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the entire solar system ( 6 km deep and
2000 km across), Over the years since it has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at
the bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient drives winds, which can carry dust
all the way out of the crater, and envelops up to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in 2001, which shrouded the planet in
haze and raised the temperature of its upper atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms
(Science@NASA))
Option 1: Materials production and storage infrastructure and research base.
Option 2: Landing/lauchning pad and materials facility.
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several spacecraft have observed the storms
rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to
present challenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar heating warms the martian atmos-
phere and causes the air to move, lifting dust off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea level--only the smallest dust
grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the entire solar system ( 6 km deep and
2000 km across), Over the years since it has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at
the bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient drives winds, which can carry dust
all the way out of the crater, and envelops up to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in 2001, which shrouded the planet in
haze and raised the temperature of its upper atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms
(Science@NASA))
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major. Ideal loca-
tion will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation even during dust
storms (20-40 cal/cm2). and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it could be
that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also be that the sand
in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating (or heating?) agent itself? To be researched on in
detail.
LOCATION
PROGRAMME
WHEN
DESIGN
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious geometrical modules.
(Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
Mars dust storms are of great interest to scientists. Even though several space-
craft have observed the storms rst hand, scientists are no closer to a denitive
answer. For now, the storms on Mars are going to continue to present chal-
lenges to planning a human mission to the planet.
All dust storms on Mars, no matter what size, are powered by sunshine. Solar
heating warms the martian atmosphere and causes the air to move, lifting dust
off the ground.
Because the martian atmosphere is thin--about 1% as dense as Earth's at sea
level--only the smallest dust grains hang in the air. Airborne dust on Mars is
about as ne as cigarette smoke.
Dust storms often begin in Hellas Basin, the biggest hole in the ground in the
entire solar system ( 6 km deep and 2000 km across), Over the years since it
has accumulated plenty of dust, and because the basin is so deep, air at the
bottom is about 10 degrees or so warmer than air at the top. This gradient
drives winds, which can carry dust all the way out of the crater, and envelops up
to a quarter of the Martian surface.
It was also reported that an enormous dust storm that exploded on Mars in
2001, which shrouded the planet in haze and raised the temperature of its upper
atmosphere 30 deg. C.(article-Planet Gobbling Dust Storms (Science@NASA))
RECONSTITUTING SAND
a self-constructing air-born(e) typology
Dolly Foo
<what to build with>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition avail-
able at any landing site on Mars. It has been proposed that human
exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2) from Martian
atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major
chemical pathways for use of CO2 are the Sabatier reaction, con-
verting atmospheric CO2 along with additional hydrogen (H2), to
produce methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2), and electrolysis, using a
zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties,
how different it is from sand on earth. Also study the extend and
periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs explorations.
Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional
technology.

<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita,
equatorial belt, wind patterns, heating patterns
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image
has been draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors corre-
spond to the amplitude of the ripple's displacement extracted by
image correlation between two HiRISE observations separated by 105
days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75 cm of displacement
whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
3D PRINTING WITH SAND
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installa-
tion assembled by ying robots, free from the touch of human
hands. The installation is an expression of a rigorous architec-
tural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a visionary robotic system
by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture consists of
over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms
that translate digital design data to the behavior of the ying
machines. In this way, the ying vehicles, together, extend them-
selves as living architectural machines and complete the com-
position from their dynamic formation of movement and building
performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m
high vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in
1:100 scale. This newly founded village is located in the rural area
of Meuse, taking advantage of an existing TGV connection that
brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one hour. It is from this
quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors pursue
a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in
architecture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<SAND + ROBOTICS = FLIGHT ASSEMBLED ARCHITECTURE>
SALTATION OF SAND
Image credit: Bagnolds illustration on salation of sand
From the Latin verb to jump, this is the process whereby sand
grains move in the wind by individual leaps, and, landing on a hard
surface, bounce off again; if a grain lands amongst other grains on
the surface of a dune, the impact kicks some of them up into the
wind and the crowd of ying grains grows. It is these two contrast-
ing behaviours bouncing versus splashing that explain the
self-accumulating nature of dunes. Over a hard surface of rocks
and pebbles, the trajectories of individual grains are high into the
air, and they keep on bouncing. As soon as they hit a soft surface of
a dune, they kick off more grains, but the trajectories are lower and
shorter the dune grows.
How strong a wind is necessary to move sand? The threshold
velocities of the wind.
Why do dunes form at all? Why is the sand not spread evenly over
the desert oor? Whether on Earth or Mars (or, indeed, Venus or
Titan), dunes appear to be self-accumulating, seeming to vacuum
up sand from the bare stony areas between them they grow by
attracting more sand. Why did they absorb nourishment and
continue to grow instead of allowing the sand to spread out evenly
over the desert as ner dust grains do? was one of Bagnolds
questions. This was, he thought, something that could be explored
at home in England under laboratory-controlled conditions - and
so began his rigorous science. Two of the most important revela-
tions of Bagnolds work are the process of saltation and the role of
two different threshold velocities for the wind.
SAND BAGS
The project a kind of bio-architectural test-landscape would
thus "go from a balloon-like pneumatic structure lled with
bacillus pasteurii, which would then be released into the sand
and allowed to solidify the same into a permacultural architec-
ture."
Different types of construction methods involving pile systems
that could probably be used to get the bacteria down into the
sand a procedure that would be analogous to using an over-
sized 3D printer, solidifying parts of the dune as needed. The
piles would be pushed through the dune surface and a rst
layer of bacteria spread out, solidifying an initial surface within
the dune. They would then be pulled up, creating almost any
conceivable (structurally sound) surface along their way, with
the loose sand acting as a jig before being excavated to create
the necessary voids. If we allow ourselves to dream, we could
even fantasise about ways in which the wind could do a lot of
this work for us: solidifying parts of the surface to force the
grains of sand to align in certain patterns, certain shapes,
having the wind blow out our voids, creating a structure that
would change and change again over the course of a decade, a
century, a millenium.
<SAND + BACTERIA = BIO- ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE>
BACTERIA AS GLUE
Case study: Dune, Magnus Larsson
(http://www.magnuslarsson.com/architecture/dune.asp)
A particular microorganism, Bacillus Pasteurii, is ushed
through the dunescape (an analogy could be made to an over-
sized 3d printer), which causes a biological reaction that turns
the sand into solid sandstone. The initial reactions nish within
24 hours; it would take about a week to saturate the sand
enough to make the structure habitable. The bacteria are
non-patogenic and die in the process of solidifying the sand.
This part of the project relies upon research carried out by
professor Jason De Jong's team at the Soil Interactions Labo-
ratory, UC Davis (http://www.sil.ucdavis.edu/people-jason.htm)
Dust storm on Mars. Image credit: NASA/JPL
ACOUSTIC LEVITATION DISLODGINGMARTIANDUST
<SAND + SONAR = ACOUSTIC LEVITATION>
Finding ways of dealing with the ne dust is a high priority because
the problems it can cause could drastically affect any long-term
exploration. The thin atmosphere on Mars means dust particles are
not as rounded as they would be on Earth and can remain quite
sharp and abrasive, and they have a high electrostatic charge,
which means the ne dust clings to everything and can penetrate
space suit air locks, and make solar panels inoperable. The
researchers from the Department of Physics and Materials Science
Program carried out a feasibility study to develop an acoustic dust
removing system for use in space stations or habitations on the
Moon or Mars. They found a high-pitched (13.8 kHz, 128 dB) stand-
ing wave of sound emitted from a 3 cm aperture tweeter and
focused on a reector 9 cm away was strong enough to dislodge
and move extremely ne (<2 m diameter) dust particles on the
reector surface. The sound waves overcome the van der Waals
adhesive force that binds dust particles to the surface, and creates
enough pressure to levitate the dust, which is then blown away.
The team tested the system on a solar panel coated with mock
lunar and Martian dust. The output of the clean panel was 4 volts,
but when coated with dust it produced only 0.4 volts. After four
minutes of acoustic levitation treatment the output returned to
98.4% of the maximum. Study co-author Junrun Wu said acoustic
levitation is not new, but this is the rst time it has been considered
for applications away from Earth. The technology is cheap and uses
readily found parts, but there is one enormous problem: it will only
work when it is sealed inside a space station or other habitation. It
will not work where there is no atmosphere (such as the moon) or
where the atmosphere is low pressure and thin (such as Mars)
because sound is a pressure wave that travels through the air. This
limits its usefulness because inside an enclosed space station
there would be relatively little dust, and probably other readily-
available means of removing it without resorting to acoustic levita-
tion.
The paper is published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of
America in January.
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011
The Solar Sinter - The Potential of Desert Manufacturing
In a world increasingly concerned with questions of energy pro-
duction and raw material shortages, the Solar Sinter project
explores the potential of desert manufacturing, where energy and
material occur in abundance. In this experiment sunlight and
sand are used as raw energy and material to produce glass
objects using a 3D printing process, that combines natural energy
and material with high-tech production technology. Solar-
sintering aims to raise questions about the future of manufactur-
ing and trigger dreams of the full utilisation of the production
potential of the worlds most efcient energy resource - the sun.
Whilst not providing denitive answers this experiment aims to
provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.
This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter,
that used the power of the sun to drive it and directly harnessed
its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D components
using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced compo-
nents in thin plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious
hybrid of machine-made and nature craft due to the crudeness
of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and
allowed to cool solidies as glass. This process of converting a
powdery substance via a heating process into a solid form is
known as sintering and has in recent years become a central
process in design prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the
suns rays instead of a laser and sand instead of resins, The basis
of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production pro-
cess for making glass objects that taps into the abundant sup-
plies of sun and sand to be found in the deserts of the world.
<SAND + SOLAR = SOLAR SINTER>
Image credit: Markus Kayser
Self-supporting structural unit having a series of repititious
geometrical modules. (Patented, Ron Resch ,1968)
SI, SILICON + + = ???
FE, IRON SUN
MG, MAGNESIUM LIGHTING
CA, CALCIUM WIND
0, OXYGEN RADIATION
CA, CALCIUM WATER
S, SULFUR BACTERIA
AL, ALUMINUM .
NA, SODIUM .
K, POTASSIUM
CL, CHLORINE
AGENDA
Harnessing dust storms and suspended sand particles to create local building
material, while clearing up the atmosphere to improve visibility and habitability
of Mars.

To explore new methods of production for sustainable , self-deployed construc-
tion. To discuss the immanence and potentials of dust - by convention dened to
be kept out and away - into a handy, accessible resource, working in line with
natural phenomenons and not against it. In the process of which, translating
immaterial moments to spatial ecstasies in the unyieldingly harsh landscape of
Mars.
This investigation seeks take on a multidisciplinary character in the search of
emerging realities and parallels, in a trans-planetary fashion.
Site: Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major.
Ideal location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation
even during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro climate and temperatures on Mar. While it
could be that sand storm occurs because of a rise in temperature (variance), it could also
be that the sand in the atmosphere itself becomes an insulating.
LOCATION
My project presents a support infrastructure for production of built material, which
doubles up as
Option 1: Materials/ Geological research facility
Option 2: Launching/landing base.
The structure I propose in my project is modular to allow for growth of the base according
to the arising needs. Similar modules can arrive depending on functional demands.
Flexibility of the base modules themselves allows them to be assembled in various ways
to attain different structures.
The foundation of the base does not require terrain leveling, instead the base columns
are strengthen over time as sand and dust composite deposits on it, until it reaches a
certain stiffness and stability for human inhabitation.
Modularity
The proposed solution is characterized by a high level of unication of elements, to the
furthest possible extent. It allows exchange of functions between the individual domes in
case one of them is damaged. Each module also serves as pressurised volumes in which
various functions can take place in each of the four wings, with a central atrium where
one access the vertical circulation tunnel.
Pneumatic architecture.
While adapting the technologies of portable architecture to the construction potential of
space architecture three concepts were deemed most suitable: metal, mixed and pneu-
matic structures. Pneumatic architecture allows structure to be taken down easily and
reconstructued at another location. The skin can also be prefabricated to suit the adher-
ance property of sand and dust particles in Mars that determines the movement or
saltation of sand. S
PROGRAMME
Intermediate stage between I &II will be the focus of the project, where few small
and tight research base are set up in anticipation of more teams working on
Mars. More dwelling structure have to be built to increase habitable space in a
short span of time, and limited resource from Earth. An infrastructural set up for
the production of local built materials will have to be set up. Large structure need
not always require specic ground preparation, a combination of portable instal-
lations, robotics assembly and working with natural elements can yield quick
results.
Base development stages.
Stage I: Manned missions to Mars can be launched every 3 years. Slowly more
and more small modules will appear on Mars and a settlement of such metal
cylinders, linked with airlocks will appear, enlarging the usage surface of the
growing Martian base. Various scientic equipment and robots can be sent,
including ones enabling production based on local resources.
Stage II: These resources will allow construction of habitats for several dozen or
more people. Also deployable habitats can be brought from Earth. A transport
module 8 m in diameter and height, instead of a return vehicle can contain struc-
tures packed in a way portable architecture is packed on Earth. Thus, without
using local resources or more complex methods large habitable space can be
gained. This is the issue I am trying to solve in this paper.
Stage III: In the future large human settlements may appear on the surface of the
Red Planet. They will be covered by great domes or placed underground. Terra-
forming and change of the atmosphere into one suitable for breathing will last for
100 years.
WHEN
WHY
living unit
accumulated
sand adds to
performace of
structure
sand as insulation
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.
<what exactly to build?>
To build machine
<where exactly to build?>
Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major. Ideal
location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation even
during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
<what to build with?>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition available at any landing site on
Mars. It has been proposed that human exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2)
from Martian atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major chemical
pathways for use of the carbon dioxide are the Sabatier reaction, converting atmospheric
carbon dioxide along with additional hydrogen (H2), to produce methane (CH4) and oxygen
(O2), and electrolysis, using a zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<how to start >
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties, how different it is from
sand on earth. Also study the extend and periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs
explorations. Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional technology.


Read: Sand: The Never-Ending Story, Michl Welland
<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita, equatorial belt, wind
patterns, heating patterns
<Technological study>
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011
This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter, that used the power of
the sun to drive it and directly harnessed its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D
components using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced components in thin
plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious hybrid of machine-made and nature
craft due to the crudeness of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and allowed to cool solidies as
glass. This process of converting a powdery substance via a heating process into a solid
form is known as sintering and has in recent years become a central process in design
prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the suns rays instead of a laser and sand
instead of resins, The basis of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production
process for making glass objects that taps into the abundant supplies of sun and sand to be
found in the deserts of the world.
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image has been
draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors correspond to the amplitude
of the ripple's displacement extracted by image correlation between two HiRISE
observations separated by 105 days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75
cm of displacement whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
[Credit: California Institute of Technology]
3d printing with sand
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installation assembled
by ying robots, free from the touch of human hands. The installation is an
expression of a rigorous architectural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a
visionary robotic system by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture
consists of over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms that translate
digital design data to the behavior of the ying machines. In this way, the ying
vehicles, together, extend themselves as living architectural machines and
complete the composition from their dynamic formation of movement and
building performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m high
vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in 1:100 scale. This
newly founded village is located in the rural area of Meuse, taking advantage of
an existing TGV connection that brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one
hour. It is from this quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors
pursue a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in architec-
ture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<what exactly to build?>
To build machine
<where exactly to build?>
Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major. Ideal
location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation even
during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
<what to build with?>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition available at any landing site on
Mars. It has been proposed that human exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2)
from Martian atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major chemical
pathways for use of the carbon dioxide are the Sabatier reaction, converting atmospheric
carbon dioxide along with additional hydrogen (H2), to produce methane (CH4) and oxygen
(O2), and electrolysis, using a zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<how to start >
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties, how different it is from
sand on earth. Also study the extend and periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs
explorations. Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional technology.


Read: Sand: The Never-Ending Story, Michl Welland
<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita, equatorial belt, wind
patterns, heating patterns
<Technological study>
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011 This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter, that used the power of
the sun to drive it and directly harnessed its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D
components using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced components in thin
plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious hybrid of machine-made and nature
craft due to the crudeness of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and allowed to cool solidies as
glass. This process of converting a powdery substance via a heating process into a solid
form is known as sintering and has in recent years become a central process in design
prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the suns rays instead of a laser and sand
instead of resins, The basis of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production
process for making glass objects that taps into the abundant supplies of sun and sand to be
found in the deserts of the world.
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image has been
draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors correspond to the amplitude
of the ripple's displacement extracted by image correlation between two HiRISE
observations separated by 105 days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75
cm of displacement whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
[Credit: California Institute of Technology]
3d printing with sand
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installation assembled
by ying robots, free from the touch of human hands. The installation is an
expression of a rigorous architectural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a
visionary robotic system by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture
consists of over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms that translate
digital design data to the behavior of the ying machines. In this way, the ying
vehicles, together, extend themselves as living architectural machines and
complete the composition from their dynamic formation of movement and
building performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m high
vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in 1:100 scale. This
newly founded village is located in the rural area of Meuse, taking advantage of
an existing TGV connection that brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one
hour. It is from this quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors
pursue a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in architec-
ture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
<what exactly to build?>
To build machine
<where exactly to build?>
Current choice of location includes the Nili Patera dune eld in the Syrtis Major. Ideal
location will in in the equatorial tropics where there will be maximum insolation even
during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
<what to build with?>
The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition available at any landing site on
Mars. It has been proposed that human exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide (CO2)
from Martian atmosphere to make rocket fuel for the return mission.Two major chemical
pathways for use of the carbon dioxide are the Sabatier reaction, converting atmospheric
carbon dioxide along with additional hydrogen (H2), to produce methane (CH4) and oxygen
(O2), and electrolysis, using a zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into
oxygen (O2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
<how to start >
<Material study>
Sand, dust and powder
What is the composite of Marsian sand, what are the properties, how different it is from
sand on earth. Also study the extend and periods of sandstorm and how it affects NASAs
explorations. Identify similar conditions on Earth for case study.
Study sand and its structural properties in existing constructional technology.


Read: Sand: The Never-Ending Story, Michl Welland
<Topological study>
Features on Mars sand dunes, volcanoes, tunnels, Hellas Planita, equatorial belt, wind
patterns, heating patterns
<Technological study>
SOLAR SINTERS
Case study: markus kayser, 2011 This was a solar-powered, semi-automated low-tech laser cutter, that used the power of
the sun to drive it and directly harnessed its rays through a glass ball lens to laser cut 2D
components using a cam-guided system. The Sun-Cutter produced components in thin
plywood with an aesthetic quality that was a curious hybrid of machine-made and nature
craft due to the crudeness of its mechanism and cutting beam optics, alongside variations
in solar intensity due to weather uctuations.
SUN+SAND: Silicia sand when heated to melting point and allowed to cool solidies as
glass. This process of converting a powdery substance via a heating process into a solid
form is known as sintering and has in recent years become a central process in design
prototyping known as 3D printing. By using the suns rays instead of a laser and sand
instead of resins, The basis of an entirely new solar-powered machine and production
process for making glass objects that taps into the abundant supplies of sun and sand to be
found in the deserts of the world.
C
This is a perspective view of the Nili Patera dune feld. A HiRISE image has been
draped over a digital elevation model of Mars. Colors correspond to the amplitude
of the ripple's displacement extracted by image correlation between two HiRISE
observations separated by 105 days. Cool colors (blue) correspond to less than 75
cm of displacement whereas warm colors (red) correspond to 4.5+ meters.
[Credit: California Institute of Technology]
3d printing with sand
Case study: ETH Digital Fabrications and Robotic Systems
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/index.html
Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012, FRAC Centre Orlans
Flight Assembled Architecture is the rst architectural installation assembled
by ying robots, free from the touch of human hands. The installation is an
expression of a rigorous architectural design by Gramazio & Kohler and a
visionary robotic system by Raffaello DAndrea. Flight Assembled Architecture
consists of over 1.500 modules which are placed by a multitude of quadrotor
helicopters, collaborating according to mathematical algorithms that translate
digital design data to the behavior of the ying machines. In this way, the ying
vehicles, together, extend themselves as living architectural machines and
complete the composition from their dynamic formation of movement and
building performance. Within the build, an architectural vision of a 600m high
vertical village for 30000 inhabitants unfolds as model in 1:100 scale. This
newly founded village is located in the rural area of Meuse, taking advantage of
an existing TGV connection that brings its inhabitants to Paris in less than one
hour. It is from this quest of an ideal self-sustaining habitat that the authors
pursue a radical new way of thinking and materializing verticality in architec-
ture, Flight Assembled Architecture.
C
SAND BAGS
The project a kind of bio-architectural test-landscape would thus "go
from a balloon-like pneumatic structure lled with bacillus pasteurii, which
would then be released into the sand and allowed to solidify the same into a
permacultural architecture."
Different types of construction methods involving pile systems that could
probably be used to get the bacteria down into the sand a procedure that
would be analogous to using an oversized 3D printer, solidifying parts of the
dune as needed. The piles would be pushed through the dune surface and a
rst layer of bacteria spread out, solidifying an initial surface within the
dune. They would then be pulled up, creating almost any conceivable
(structurally sound) surface along their way, with the loose sand acting as a
jig before being excavated to create the necessary voids. If we allow
ourselves to dream, we could even fantasise about ways in which the wind
could do a lot of this work for us: solidifying parts of the surface to force the
grains of sand to align in certain patterns, certain shapes, having the wind
blow out our voids, creating a structure that would change and change again
over the course of a decade, a century, a millenium.
INFLATING WITH SAND
PNEUMATIC ARCHITECTURE
BACTERIA AS GLUE
Case study: Dune, Magnus Larsson
(http://www.magnuslarsson.com/architecture/dune.asp)
A particular microorganism, Bacillus Pasteurii, is ushed through the
dunescape (an analogy could be made to an oversized 3d printer), which
causes a biological reaction that turns the sand into solid sandstone. The
initial reactions nish within 24 hours; it would take about a week to satu-
rate the sand enough to make the structure habitable. The bacteria are
non-patogenic and die in the process of solidifying the sand. This part of the
project relies upon research carried out by professor Jason De Jong's team
at the Soil Interactions Laboratory, UC Davis
SI, SILICON + + = ???
FE, IRON SUN
MG, MAGNESIUM LIGHTING
CA, CALCIUM WIND
0, OXYGEN RADIATION
CA, CALCIUM WATER
S, SULFUR BACTERIA
AGENDA
SYSTEM
Harnessing dust storms and suspended
sand particles to create local building
material on Mars, through a combina-
tion of low technology (wind movement)
and advanced material science, to
create a landscape of infrastructural
entities.

In a intermediate stage of human exploration on
Mars, where few small research base have already
been set up in anticipation of a larger human colony
on Mars. More infrastructure will have to be built to
increase habitable space, without adding to the
ever increasing pay load. An infrastructural system
for the production of local built materials will have
to be set up. Large structure need not always
require specic ground preparation, a combination
of deployable installations, robotics assembly,
working with natural elements can yield quick
results.

SAND + DEPOSITION =
SHELTER + LANDSCAPE
The structures are deployed and are allowed to
grow for an appropriate amount of time before it
gains sufcient stiffness and insulating factor for
human occupany. In this interim period of
construct, the structure will serve as temporary
storm shelters for rovers and other space explora-
tion vehicles, and also as the begining attempts at
introducing human landmarks and artifacts for our
navigational instincts.
ORIGAMI ARCHITECTURE =
MODULAR SYSTEM +
DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURE +
PNEUMATIC SKIN
The foundation of the base does not require terrain
leveling, instead the base structure strengthen over
time as sand and dust composite deposits on it, until it
reaches a certain stiffness and stability for human
inhabitation.

The proposal is based on systematic growth by algo-
rithm. The goal is to nd a sequence that is allows for
universal growth in various congurations for a xed
set of modules. Each module serves as unpressurised
volumes in which various functions and plug-in vehicu-
lar programs can take place .
While adapting the technologies of portable architec-
ture to the construction potential of space architecture
three concepts were deemed most suitable: metal,
mixed and pneumatic structures. Pneumatic architec-
ture allows structure to be taken down easily and
reconstructued at another location. The skin can also
be prefabricated to suit the adherance property of sand
and dust particles in Mars that determines the move-
ment or saltation of sand. S
DEPLOYMENT / DEPOSITION
SYSTEM
ENDEAVOUR CRATER & DUNESCAPE
MORE THAN 10% OF THE SURFACE
AREA ON MARS IS COVERED BY
WINDBLOWN SAND DUNES. IN
2008 SAND DUNES WAS RE-
PORTED TO BE ACTIVE ON MARS.
Studies shown that two 20m wide dome dune
disappeared and a thrid shrank by 15%,
though larger dunes did not show apparant
change
ENDEAVOUR IS AN IMPACT
CRATER LOCATED IN MERIDIANI
PLANUM ON MARS.
DIAMETER: 22KM, DEPTH: 300M
Ideal location will in in the equatorial tropics
where there will be maximum insolation even
during dust storms (20-40 cal/cm2).
Sand storms are inextricably tied to the micro
climate and temperatures on Mar. While it
could be that sand storm occurs because of a
rise in temperature (variance), it could also be
that the sand in the atmosphere itself
becomes an insulating agent that triggers the
SITE & ENVIRONMENT
Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) images of sand dunes on Mars (courtesy of NASA/JPL/MSSS). L-R: a. Barchan
dunes at Arkhangelsky crater, near 41.0S, 25.0 W; b. north polar dunes near 77.6N, 103.6 W; bimodal
sand dunes near c. 48.6S, 25.5 W; d. 49.6S, 352.9 W, and e. 76.4N, 272.9W.
WIND TUNNEL TESTS
M SERIES SHELTER
DEPLOYABLE RAPID ASSEMBLY SHELTERS
(MARTIAN)
FOO YU YU DOLLY
ABOUT
Single exterior cover DRASH Series Shelters provide emergency response personnel
with a variety of rapidly-deployable, rugged, lightweight, man-portable and user-
friendly soft-walled shelters.
Deployed or taken down by only 2 - 4 personnel within a matter of minutes without
the need for special tools or dealing with loose parts, the shelter design is based
on the the folding patterns of origami science. DRASH is a free-standing, self-
supporting structure that requires no power or air to erect. Additionally, there
are no obstructions such as center poles or locking devices needed to keep the
shelter erect. The frame of the Shelter is manufactured from reinforced Mylar and
Titanite, a rugged and durable aerospace material, with a flex strength 270%
greater than that of aluminum, giving the DRASH Shelter the ability to withstand
dust storms, solar radiation and the harsh Martian environment.
Kit of Parts(K.O.P):
Each shelter comes with a retainer/housing case, repair kit, Velcro belt, wind lines
and a steel pin stake set.
ITERATIONS
Shelter Model: Exterior Interior Weight
Dimensions: Dimensions : (kg):

AD2SEVA 12 x 10 x 14 6 x 10 x 8 40
AD3SEVA 12 x 15 x 14 6 x 15 x 8 50
AD4SEVA 12 x 20 x 10 6 x 20 x 8 56
AD5SEVA 12 x 25 x 10 6 x 25 x 8 50
AD6SEVA 12 x 30 x 10 6 x 30 x 8 65
AD2SEVB 12 x 8 x 10 6 x 8 x 8 40
AD3SEVB 12 x 12 x 10 6 x 12 x 8 40
AD4SEVB 12 x 15 x 10 6 x 16 x 8 50
AD5SEVB 12 x 20 x 12 6 x 20 x 8 60
AD6SEVB 12 x 20 x 14 6 x 24 x 8 65
(W x L x H)
THE SITUATION...
Sequence of structural components of SEV
Superior (70)
Superior Temporal (62)
Temporal (85)
Inferior Temporal (85)
Inferior (70)
Field of view Dimensions
81.3 cm
Max 66 cm
53 cm
58.4 cm
18
Average 191.9 cm
Max 84.8 cm
Working range
45.72 cm
66.04 cm diagonally
40.64 cm diagonally
15
33.02 cm
12.7
Optimum one-handed
work envelope.
Optimum two-handed
work envelope
137.16 cm
140.97 cm
Mobility range measured in: Torque (Nm) and Angle of motion (degrees)
Shoulder movement
(lateral-medial)
1.3 Nm
20
1.3 Nm
150
4.5 Nm
180
Shoulder exion/extension
1.3 Nm
150
Shoulder adduction/
abduction
Waist mobility side
to side rotation
12.4 Nm
150
Elbow exion/extension
1.3 Nm
130
Forearm mobility and
wrist rotation
0.68 Nm
180
1.3 Nm
40
1.3 Nm
40
A B
Ankle extension (A)
and exion (B)
2.7 Nm
10
Hip abduction
(leg straight)
Hip and waist
exion/extension
5.4 Nm
90
1.3 Nm
150
Knee exion:
kneeling
1.3 Nm
120
Knee mobility:
exion standing
2.7 Nm
70
Hip exion
The Astronaut Scale
!!!
A
M
B
A
M
B
A
A
M
M
uh-oh.
HOUSTON,
WEVE GOT A
PROBLEM...
S.O.P
1. Phone Mission Control
2. Check IMV meter
. Awit instructions
SUIT
UP
GUYS!!
nd get
DRASH
out of the
bg.
Were sending
Beetle 2 over to
tke look.
ITS LITERALLY A
MICRO-
METEORITE!
WE SURE GOT
LUCKY...
HOUSTON, WERE
LOSING
PRESSURE IN HERE!
Drn
those
dust
devils
!
Oky, you two set
up the shelter, Ill be
inspecting the
dmge.
WHAT IS
?
THE VEHICLE (SEV)
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
PASSENGER CAPACITY: Crew of 2, up to 4 in emergencies
MOBILITY: Up to 10km/ hour, mobility chassis wheel
able to pivot 360, allowing it
to drive in any direction
SPECIFICATIONS:
Weight: 3,000 kg
Payload: 997 kg
Length: 4.48 m Wheelbase: 3.9 m
Height: 3.048 m feet Wheels: 4.7x 1 m in diameter, 0.3 m wide
On planetary surfaces, astronauts will need surface mobility to ex-
plore multiple sites across the lunar and Martian surfaces. The SEV
surface concept has the small, pressurized cabin mounted on a
wheeled chassis that would enable a mobile form of exploration.
These two components could be delivered to the planetary surface
together, or as separate elements. The SEV can provide the astro-
nauts main mode of transportation, and unlike the unpressurized
Apollo lunar rover also allow them to go on long excursions with-
out the restrictions imposed by spacesuits. The pressurized cabin
has a suitport that allows the crew to get into their spacesuits
and out of the vehicle faster than before, enabling multiple, short
spacewalks as an alternative to one long spacewalk.
The Space Exploration Vehicle Characteristics (Surface Concept)
ounded by 2.5 cm
y
Ice-shielded Lock /
Fusible Heat Sink:
Lock surr
of frozen water provides
radiation protection. Same
ice is used as a fusible heat
sink, rejecting heat energ
by melting ice instead of
evaporating water to
vacuum.
1
3
4
7
9 6
5 8
2
6
5
8
9
Docking Hatch:
Allows crew members to
move fr om the rover to a
habitat, an ascent module
or another rover.
Suit Portable
Life Support
System
Reduces mass,
cost, volume
and complexity.
Suitports:
Allow suit donning and vehicle
egress in less than 10 minutes
with minimal gas loss.
Pressurized Rover:
Low-mass, low-volume design
makes it possible to have two
vehicles on a planetary lunar
surface, greatly extending the
range of safe exploration.
Chariot Style Aft
Driving Station:
Enables crew to drive
rover while conduct-
ing moonwalks.
Pivoting Wheels:
Enables crab-style
driving for docking
and maneuvering
on steep terrain.
Work Package
Interface:
Allows attachment
of modular work
packages (e.g.
winch, cable,
backhoe or crane).
Modular Design:
Pressurized Rover and
chassis may be deliver
on separate landers or
pre-integrated on one
lander.
SEV
TYPE A
DIM: (WxLxH)
4 x 8 x 3m
capacity:
4 person,
in emergency;
6 person
SEV
TYPE A
DIM: (WxLxH)
4 x 4.5 x 3m
capacity:
2 person,
in emergency;
4 person
THE SITUATION...
Sequence of structural components of SEV
Superior (70)
Superior Temporal (62)
Temporal (85)
Inferior Temporal (85)
Inferior (70)
Field of view Dimensions
81.3 cm
Max 66 cm
53 cm
58.4 cm
18
Average 191.9 cm
Max 84.8 cm
Working range
45.72 cm
66.04 cm diagonally
40.64 cm diagonally
15
33.02 cm
12.7
Optimum one-handed
work envelope.
Optimum two-handed
work envelope
137.16 cm
140.97 cm
Mobility range measured in: Torque (Nm) and Angle of motion (degrees)
Shoulder movement
(lateral-medial)
1.3 Nm
20
1.3 Nm
150
4.5 Nm
180
Shoulder exion/extension
1.3 Nm
150
Shoulder adduction/
abduction
Waist mobility side
to side rotation
12.4 Nm
150
Elbow exion/extension
1.3 Nm
130
Forearm mobility and
wrist rotation
0.68 Nm
180
1.3 Nm
40
1.3 Nm
40
A B
Ankle extension (A)
and exion (B)
2.7 Nm
10
Hip abduction
(leg straight)
Hip and waist
exion/extension
5.4 Nm
90
1.3 Nm
150
Knee exion:
kneeling
1.3 Nm
120
Knee mobility:
exion standing
2.7 Nm
70
Hip exion
The Astronaut Scale
!!!
A
M
B
A
M
B
A
A
M
M
uh-oh.
HOUSTON,
WEVE GOT A
PROBLEM...
S.O.P
1. Phone Mission Control
2. Check IMV meter
. Awit instructions
SUIT
UP
GUYS!!
nd get
DRASH
out of the
bg.
Were sending
Beetle 2 over to
tke look.
ITS LITERALLY A
MICRO-
METEORITE!
WE SURE GOT
LUCKY...
HOUSTON, WERE
LOSING
PRESSURE IN HERE!
Drn
those
dust
devils
!
Oky, you two set
up the shelter, Ill be
inspecting the
dmge.
WHAT IS
?
THE VEHICLE (SEV)
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
PASSENGER CAPACITY: Crew of 2, up to 4 in emergencies
MOBILITY: Up to 10km/ hour, mobility chassis wheel
able to pivot 360, allowing it
to drive in any direction
SPECIFICATIONS:
Weight: 3,000 kg
Payload: 997 kg
Length: 4.48 m Wheelbase: 3.9 m
Height: 3.048 m feet Wheels: 4.7x 1 m in diameter, 0.3 m wide
On planetary surfaces, astronauts will need surface mobility to ex-
plore multiple sites across the lunar and Martian surfaces. The SEV
surface concept has the small, pressurized cabin mounted on a
wheeled chassis that would enable a mobile form of exploration.
These two components could be delivered to the planetary surface
together, or as separate elements. The SEV can provide the astro-
nauts main mode of transportation, and unlike the unpressurized
Apollo lunar rover also allow them to go on long excursions with-
out the restrictions imposed by spacesuits. The pressurized cabin
has a suitport that allows the crew to get into their spacesuits
and out of the vehicle faster than before, enabling multiple, short
spacewalks as an alternative to one long spacewalk.
The Space Exploration Vehicle Characteristics (Surface Concept)
ounded by 2.5 cm
y
Ice-shielded Lock /
Fusible Heat Sink:
Lock surr
of frozen water provides
radiation protection. Same
ice is used as a fusible heat
sink, rejecting heat energ
by melting ice instead of
evaporating water to
vacuum.
1
3
4
7
9 6
5 8
2
6
5
8
9
Docking Hatch:
Allows crew members to
move fr om the rover to a
habitat, an ascent module
or another rover.
Suit Portable
Life Support
System
Reduces mass,
cost, volume
and complexity.
Suitports:
Allow suit donning and vehicle
egress in less than 10 minutes
with minimal gas loss.
Pressurized Rover:
Low-mass, low-volume design
makes it possible to have two
vehicles on a planetary lunar
surface, greatly extending the
range of safe exploration.
Chariot Style Aft
Driving Station:
Enables crew to drive
rover while conduct-
ing moonwalks.
Pivoting Wheels:
Enables crab-style
driving for docking
and maneuvering
on steep terrain.
Work Package
Interface:
Allows attachment
of modular work
packages (e.g.
winch, cable,
backhoe or crane).
Modular Design:
Pressurized Rover and
chassis may be deliver
on separate landers or
pre-integrated on one
lander.
SEV
TYPE A
DIM: (WxLxH)
4 x 8 x 3m
capacity:
4 person,
in emergency;
6 person
SEV
TYPE A
DIM: (WxLxH)
4 x 4.5 x 3m
capacity:
2 person,
in emergency;
4 person
HOW TO USE YOUR DRASH SHELTER
FOLDING PATTERN
BASE GRID (1m x 1m): 20 x 14
PACKING
DEPLOYMENT PROCESS: SET-UP
PLAN 1:100 FLOOR PLAN 1:100
FUNCTIONAL PLAN
ROOF PLAN 1:100
<core>
life-support
20%
<ancillary>
adaptive
functions
75%
4
500 500 500 500 500
2000
8
0
0
thickness
curtain track and storage for
airbag sub-assembly
wheels positioned at
maximum width
A
B
PACKING
DEPLOYMENT PROCESS
FUNCTIONAL PLAN
<core>
life-support
20%
<ancillary>
adaptive
functions
75%
4
500 500 500 500 500
2000
8
0
0
thickness
FOLDING PATTERN
BASE GRID (1m x 1m): 20 x 14 PLAN 1:100 FLOOR PLAN 1:100 ROOF PLAN 1:100
AIR LOCK / ACCESS
Airlocks are required at entrances to prevent loss of internal air-pressure. Eg. revolving door, airlock
portals, zippers, Velcro. When using a double wall construction; one doesn't need a proper door.
MEMBRANE/ MATERIALITY
The skin of pneumatic system determines much spatial quality of the construct. In responding to environmental
demands, and by integrating material technologies, one can look for qualities like scales in translucency or
elasticity. Materials can be highfrequency sealed, glued or just stitched. Other qualities are; non static,
lightweight, strong, resistant to tearing, self-repairing. Considerations are made to use microfibers, non-
wovens, woven vecram (used in the space industry), metallic foils, plastic films.
MYLAR
ANCHORING
> Ballast > Earth/Water Ballast Anchorage Syste > Sandbags
> Ground Anchorage System > Surface Ground Anchors > Underground Anchors
1_Architects of airs anchorage by pins 800mm x 25mm diameter.
2_Ballast anchorage usually takes the form of sandbags or concrete blocks in units of 125k, to come to a total
weight from 5 - 12 tons
INFLATABLES IN SPACE
Radar RelfectiveSpheres [5]
These radar calibration reflector spheres have been manufactured since the very earliest days of Raven Indus-
tries and Aerostar International still manufactures them today.
Mars Pathnder [8]
The Mars Pathfinder airbag system was designed to protect the lander regardless of its orientation upon impact
with the surface of the planet. The system also was designed to handle lateral movement as well as vertical
descent.
The huge, multi-lobed air bags, which will envelope and protect the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft before it impacts
the surface of Mars. The air bags are composed of four large bags with six smaller, interconnected spheres
within each bag. The bags measure 5 m tall and about 5 m in diameter. As Pathfinder is descending to the Martian
surface on a parachute, an onboard altimeter inside the lander will monitor its distance from the ground. The
computer will inflate these large air bags about 100 meters above the surface of Mars.
Inatable Antenna [7]
Credit: STS-77 Crew, Space Shuttle Endeavor, NASA, 1996
The Inflatable Antenna Experiment was as part of a Spartan satellite. The antenna is roughly the size of a
tennis court and is even visible from Earth. The function of an antenna is to broadcast radio messages, and the
large dish at the end helps focus radio waves into a narrow beam which can be detected over long distances.
TransHab/ Space Hotel [6]
Bigelow Aerospaces inflatable Space Station continues the work on expandable space habitation of the TransHab
Successfully verifying Bigelow Aerospaces proprietary folding and packing techniques.
STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOUR [10]
Cables and nets divide the membrane into a number of small elements, with small radii of curvature (when pres-
surised, thus reducing membrane stresses. A major portion of the stresses is transferred to the netting when the
membrane presses against the net under the influence of the internal pressure. Large spans can be achieved with
thin transparent membranes.
`
FOLDING/PACKING [11]
Air Bag Technology
In asembling the airbag/cover, the airbag is initially prefolded to a predetermined configuration outside the
cover. The prefolded air bag is then inserted as a unit into the cavity defined within the cover.
Origami
HEMPLANET INFLATED RIB STRUCTURE
A framework of pressurisedtubeswhichsupportsa
weatherproofmembraneintension.
[Thermosplastic polyurethane TPU bladder to keep
the air inside and a polyester-laminated fabric
outer jacker for protection and stability].
Pressurised
Construction
Pneumatic
Constr.
Air Controlled
Air Stabilised
Air Inflated
Air Supported
Hybrid Struc-
Dual Walled
Rib Structures
Total Pneumatic
Hybrid
Partial Pneumatic
Hybrid
OTHER STRUCTU
R
A
L
F
O
R
M
S
INFLATED SPACES - Spaces measuring the physical body as a co-structure in its inated surrounding
1 2
4
5 6 8
7
Reinf. cable w/
thimble & swaged sleeve end
anchor shackle
bent strap or rod
in concrete
membrane
membrane liner
steel angle
removable expansion
anchor (for temporary
installation)h 9
Typical anchor
detail
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR INFLATED / PRESSURISED SPACES
10
11

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