NASA has revealed a design for a 3D-printed tower that could provide shelter for the first humans on Mars.
The tower is in the shape of a hyperboloid, which is an efficient compression structure and allows for continuous reinforcement.
It is constructed from concrete and basalt fibre, with an inner lining of high-density polyethylene, which acts as an "air bladder".
Light enters the habitat at 30 degrees from the horizon, through trough-shaped ports on the sides and top of the tower, helping to shield inhabitants from radiation.
A pre-integrated Environmental Control and Life Support System - similar to the one on the International Space Station - is located in the centre of the habitat for optimal air circulation and flow.
The bottom portion of the tower contains two laboratories, while the top portion comprises the living areas, including sleeping quarters, a toilet and shower, and a kitchen and food prep area.
There is a water tower right at the top, and "vertical gardens" throughout the tower, which filter dirty water for re-use.
An exterior staircase winds down and around the building, providing an area of refuge that is environmentally separate from the habitat, in case of an emergency.
The tower, designed by New York-based team SEArch+/Apis Cor, has won first place in the latest stage of NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge.
Contestants are challenged to create sustainable shelters suitable for the Moon, Mars or beyond using resources available on-site in these locations.
Team SEArch+/Apis Cor shares the $100,000 prize with two other teams - Arkansas-based Zopherus and Connecticut-based Mars Incubator.
Zopherus' design features an autonomous roving printer that deploys rovers to retrieve local materials and then moves on to the next site.
Meanwhile, Mars Incubator's design consists of four spaces – a vestibule, a primary living space, a multi-use space and a bio-generation area for plant growth.
The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge will culminate with a head-to-head subscale structure print, which will take place between 1 and 4 May, with a prize fund of $800,000.
