Publication Date:
2004-12-04
Description:
The presence of a manned space colony on Mars may be expected to involve three phases in the utilization of planetary resources: (1) survival phase in which air, water, and food are produced, (2) self sufficiency phase in which chemicals, fuels, pharmaceuticals, polymers, and metals are produced, and (3) export to earth of materials and technology 1 phase in which the unique advantage of the extraterrestrial environment is fully exploited. The Advanced Design Project is administered as an interdisciplinary effort involving students and faculty throughout the College of Engineering. Senior students from Chemical, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering are participating as a team. Multi discipline interfacing and coordination are stressed throughout the project. An interdisciplinary senior design course was developed and offered in the Spring of 1987. The first task of the survival phase is that of providing a supply of water and air adequate to support a ten person colony. The project has been divided into three subgroups: (1) design of a manufacturing and storage facility for air, (2) search and drill for water or water-bearing materials, and (3) retrieve, purify, and store potable water. The conceptual design phase has been completed and the project is being documented. The second task of the survival phase is that of providing a replenish able food supply. This task has two requirements: producing a supply of protein and providing an environment for growing plants for food. For the first requirement, we considered the design of a bioreactor system capable of growing beef cells for protein production. For the second, a design must be developed for a manufacturing system to produce materials needed to build a greenhouse farm.
Keywords:
MAN/SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SUPPORT
Type:
USRA, Agenda of the Third Annual Summer Conference, NASA(USRA University Advanced Design Program; p 29
Format:
text
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