Scientists sketch out the foundations of a colony on Mars

EPFL scientists have mapped out the steps required to build a self-sustaining research base on Mars that would be habitable for the long term. Their work can help researchers set priorities for space programs exploring Mars as well as the solar system as a whole. If there was ever life on Mars, its traces are most likely to be found at the planet's poles. Or more specifically, in its polar layered deposits, which are layers of ice and dust that have built up over thousands of years. So, according to a team of EPFL scientists, the poles would be the most logical place to set up a research base and, potentially, colonies. This team has mapped out a step-by-step strategy along with the required technology to build a research base on Mars that would be self-sustaining and that could accommodate a long-term manned presence. The results of their work will soon be published in Acta Astronautica and is being presented today at the Entretiens Internationaux du Tourisme du Futur conference in Vixouze, France.