Ice Covered Lake Settlements for Mars

R. Zubrin (2020), JBIS, 73, pp.386-389

Refcode: 2020.73.386
Keywords: Mars settlements, Ice structures, Martian terraforming

Abstract:
This paper examines the possibilities of establishing Martian settlements beneath the surface of ice-covered lakes. It is shown that such settlements offer many advantages, including the ability to rapidly engineer very large volumes of pressurized space, comprehensive radiation protection, highly efficient power generation, temperature regulation, copious resource availability, outdoor recreation, and the creation of a vibrant local biosphere supporting both the nutritional and aesthetic needs of a growing human population.