Hi there, I'd like to connect with people to discuss technical aspects of settlement of mars.
I'd look at a house on earth and ask: what things have to be supplied from the outside; what things can be produced inside the house? Houses on earth have piping for water, and cabling for electricity.
Plants can be grown in a green-house using these two ingredients, and the people can sleep in a spaceship.
Comment whatever comes to your mind.
Don't forget perchlorate mitigation!
Chlorates and perchlorates are fairly unstable, and readily decompose into chlorides + oxygen gas when heated. Could we solve two problems at once by washing the perchlorates out of the soil, and then decomposing them to produce oxygen for breathing and propellant?
Sure, just gotta dig 11.5 to 20 km down to get to some water. Or melt the ice caps, which probably already have the perchlorates frozen in them.
I don't see perchlorates as a big problem.
After all, plants grow quite well without soil, like hydroponics, I guess.
Where are you going to get all that water?
I was thinking three options: