Mars Habitat Unit

The Mars Habitat Unit (MHU) forms a part of the Mars Direct humans-to-Mars mission concept first developed by Doctor Robert Zubrin and David Baker in the early 1990s.

It is a vehicle designed to carry a crew of 4 to 6 to Mars, and form their home/laboratory during 18-months on the surface of the planet. It is used in conjunction with the Earth Return Vehicle.

Description

The MHU is a 2- or 3-deck vehicle, providing a comprehensive living and working environment for a Mars crew. As well as individual sleeping quarters which provide a degree of privacy for each of the crew and a place for personal effects, the MHU includes a communal living area, a small galley, exercise area, and hygiene facilities.

The lower deck of the MHU provides the primary working space for the crew: small laboratory areas for carrying out geology and life science research; storage space for samples, airlocks for reaching the surface of Mars, and a suiting-up area where crew members prepare for surface operations.

The MHU also includes a small pressurized rover that is stored in the lower deck area and assembled on the surface of Mars. Powered by a small methane engine, this is designed to extend the range over which astronauts can explore the surface of Mars.

Protection from harmful radiation while in space and on the surface of Mars (e.g. from solar flares) is provided by a dedicated "storm shelter" in the core of the vehicle.

Journey to Mars

The MHU is designed to be launched to Mars directly from Earth using a suitable heavy booster, such as one developed using space shuttle technology.

To overcome the debilitating effects of a weightless environment (muscle atrophy, cardiovascular problems), the MHU is designed to travel to Mars in a "tethered" mode - attached to the upper stage of the booster used to launch it via a cable. The two objects (MHU and Booster) are then set rotating around a common axis at the center of gravity of the system to create artificial gravity within the MHU itself. Using a connecting cable 1,500 meters in length, a rotation of just 1 revolution per minute creates a Mars-equivalent gravity with the MHU.

On arrival at Mars, the booster upper stage is jettisoned, and the MHU uses aerobraking to slow itself and make a soft landing on the surface of Mars, close to the Earth Return Vehicle sent to Mars ahead of it.

NASA

Since it was first proposed as a part of the Mars Direct mission proposal, the MHU has been adopted by NASA as a part of their Mars Design Reference Mission, which utilizes two MHUs - one of which flies to Mars unmanned, providing a dedicated laboratory facility on Mars, together with the capacity to carry a larger rover vehicle. The second MHU flies to Mars with the crew, its interior given over completely to living / storage space.

Proof of Concept

To prove the viability of the MHU, the Mars Society has implemented the Mars Analogue Research Station Programme (MARS), which has established a number of prototype MHUs around the world.

pecifications

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Round Trip Payload	Tonnes
Main Structure	8.52
Decks	6.00
Airlock / Radiation Shelter	1.82
0.30
Furniture	0.50
Science Equipment	1.00
Exercise and Health	0.20
Plumbing and Lighting	1.00
Replacement Air (3 charges)	0.81
Solar Panels	0.25
Life Support System	4.00
Consumables for Crew	11.76
Crew of 6	0.45
Personal Effects	0.70
Spacesuits	0.30
Pressurized Rover	2.00
Deployed Surface Science	0.40
Contingency	5.00
Total	45.41