Mars Habitat 3D print model

A Mars habitat is a place that humans can live in on Mars.[2][3] Mars habitats must contend with surface conditions that include almost no oxygen in the air, extreme cold, low pressure, and high radiation.[4] Alternatively, the habitat may be placed underground, which helps solve some problems but creates new difficulties.[5]

One challenge is the extreme cost of building materials for Mars, which by the 2010s was estimated be about US$2 million per brick to the surface of Mars.[6] While the gravity on Mars is lower than that on Earth, there is increased solar radiation, temperature cycles, and the high internal forces needed for pressurized habitats to contain air.[7]

To contend with these constraints, architects have worked to understand the right balance between in-situ materials and construction, and ex-situ to Mars.[8] For example, one idea is to use the locally available regolith to shield against radiation exposure, and another idea is to use transparent ice to allow non-harmful light to enter the habitat.[8] Mars habitat design can also involve the study of local conditions, including pressures, temperatures, and local materials, especially water.[8]