From: alain245@videotron.ca   
      
   On 2024-10-07 6:05 p.m., Snidely wrote:   
   > Snidely asserted that:   
   >> 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.   
      
   Yes I agree. I was thinking about "the Mayflower passengers" not the   
   advance team. Musk seems to want to get there fast.   
      
   >> 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.   
   >   
   > where "or" means "and"   
   >   
   >> "Houses" will probably be a long way off.   
   >   
   > I don't see "houses" before in situ building materials are in use, which   
   > will probably require a significant support crew even if fabrication is   
   > primarily with robotic equipment.   
   >   
   > Your concern about suitless evacuation will probably involve pressurized   
   > garages for excursion vehicles.   
      
   I'm not sure what you mean with that. If you have a party at home and a   
   fire breaks out, not all guests will have their excursion vehicles in   
   your garage (in fact there is a good chance that not all guests will   
   have an excursion vehicle at all). You might not want to plan on   
   everyone getting into the vehicle in the garage. Also, if you evacuate   
   via one excursion vehicle for many people, you have to make sure that   
   smoke does not fill the vehicle while boarding.   
      
   I prefer the hallway evacuation method. A long hallway with sections   
   separated by "sealable" doors. If some smoke gets in the hallway, you go   
   to the next section. By a sealable door I mean that not much smoke would   
   cross the door. Other doors would be air tight meaning you can   
   depressurise one side of the door but not the other side. Sealable doors   
   would be openable and closable as fast as normal Earthly doors therefore   
   suitable as an escape route. Airtight doors allow to extinguish fires by   
   depressurising a section once everyone is out.   
      
      
   Alain Fournier   
      
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