From: snidely.too@gmail.com   
      
   Alain Fournier suggested that ...   
   > Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars soon. I am wondering what would be a good   
   > design for a Martian colony. I am assuming the following:   
   > 1. Colonists will want to have private quarters (where others can’t go   
   > without consent).   
   > 2. Colonists will want to be able to evacuate their habitat rapidly (in case   
   > of fire for instance). And do so from two opposite ends of their habitat.   
   > Here rapidly probably means without putting on a spacesuit, unless one can   
   > design a spacesuit you can slip into in about 2 seconds.   
   > 3. Point 2, applies even if there is a party in the private quarters of a   
   > colonist (therefore, you can’t just have a shelter sufficient for the   
   number   
   > of inhabitants of a given habitat).   
   > 4. Colonist will want to be able to go see other colonist or go to work   
   > without having to put on spacesuits.   
   >   
   >   
   > My solution, and I am not sure it really is a good one, is to make habitats   
   > in pairs. Have two habitats in a big tube, and a passageway between the two   
   > habitats. The tube as a whole is pressurized, so you don’t need an airlock   
   to   
   > get out of a habitat. You would have airlocks at the end of each tube. So   
   > once everyone is evacuated from the tube, you can depressurize to put out a   
   > fire. You also need to have sufficient ventilation capabilities in the   
   > passageway. If there is a fire in one habitat, there is likely to be some   
   > smoke going into the passageway. You don’t want to have to depressurize to   
   > get rid of smoke every time someone burns his toasts.   
   >   
   > Workspaces (offices, labs, machine shops etc) would be similarly paired in   
   > tubes, albeit possibly much bigger tubes.   
   >   
   > You can link the habitat tubes by the ends and sometimes on hubs. It would be   
   > important to have a few hubs, not just a big loop with all the habitats in a   
   > circle. Having crisscrossing “streets” allow you to go anywhere even if   
   you   
   > have a section that is closed because of a fire, smoke or what not.   
   >   
   > What do you think? How would you design a colony?   
   >   
   >   
   > Alain Fournier   
      
   I expect that the first buildings will be very basic, like ISS modules.   
    The 2nd generation (of buildings) will probably build around the 1st,   
   perhaps connected by a hub.  During both of these phases, most   
   facilities will be communal, with perhaps "private" sleeping closets,   
   but maybe also barracks style bunking.  But of course, these will be   
   the advance team and not the Mayflower passengers.   
      
   It won't be before the 3rd generation that "apartments" will be built,   
   and that will probably be as a row of suites on a common hallway;   
   perhaps a hallway in front or in back.  "Houses" will probably be a   
   long way off.   
      
   /dps   
      
   --   
   "This is all very fine, but let us not be carried away be excitement,   
   but ask calmly, how does this person feel about in in his cooler   
   moments next day, with six or seven thousand feet of snow and stuff on   
   top of him?"   
     _Roughing It_, Mark Twain.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)