1 00:00:00,491 --> 00:00:03,324 (dramatic music) 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,120 Humans live in so many different kinds 3 00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:14,403 of environments here on this planet. 4 00:00:16,050 --> 00:00:21,050 We have a evolved with this atmosphere, with this geology, 5 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,613 and certainly with these other organisms. 6 00:00:24,613 --> 00:00:28,200 (dramatic music) 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,500 This is all the result of four billion years 8 00:00:31,500 --> 00:00:33,733 of working together on this planet. 9 00:00:34,872 --> 00:00:38,460 (dramatic music) 10 00:00:38,460 --> 00:00:40,420 Yet, in a matter of years, 11 00:00:40,420 --> 00:00:43,260 some may leave this inheritance forever, 12 00:00:43,260 --> 00:00:45,483 choosing a one-way trip to Mars, 13 00:00:46,701 --> 00:00:49,059 and the blank slate that awaits them. 14 00:00:49,059 --> 00:00:51,340 (dramatic music) 15 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:54,410 The conditions on Mars are almost impossible 16 00:00:54,410 --> 00:00:57,217 for our minds to imagine. 17 00:00:57,217 --> 00:01:00,350 (dramatic music) 18 00:01:00,350 --> 00:01:02,180 When you juxtapose the picture 19 00:01:02,180 --> 00:01:04,930 of the planet of Mars against Earth it's just stunning. 20 00:01:07,070 --> 00:01:08,870 And today we no longer wonder 21 00:01:08,870 --> 00:01:11,450 if we will be able to land on Mars. 22 00:01:11,450 --> 00:01:14,903 The biggest question now is what happens next? 23 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:18,300 How are people are going to be able 24 00:01:18,300 --> 00:01:22,610 to meet all of our survival needs, food, water, and shelter. 25 00:01:22,610 --> 00:01:24,310 How are people going to be able to live 26 00:01:24,310 --> 00:01:25,750 and thrive on Mars? 27 00:01:26,748 --> 00:01:29,581 (dramatic music) 28 00:01:39,810 --> 00:01:42,540 Unlike on Earth, where we can ship goods around 29 00:01:42,540 --> 00:01:46,420 from place to place with ships and trains 30 00:01:46,420 --> 00:01:48,310 and fleets of trucks, 31 00:01:48,310 --> 00:01:50,730 {\an8}getting materials from Earth to Mars 32 00:01:50,730 --> 00:01:52,320 {\an8}is much more complicated. 33 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,610 Not only is there a limited amount of space, 34 00:01:54,610 --> 00:01:57,510 but it takes a lot of money to launch a rocket 35 00:01:57,510 --> 00:01:58,823 from Earth to Mars. 36 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:02,590 What's more, our launch window to Mars 37 00:02:02,590 --> 00:02:06,880 only opens for a brief period every 26 months. 38 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,060 If we're going to colonize Mars, 39 00:02:09,060 --> 00:02:12,230 our basic human survival needs water, food, 40 00:02:12,230 --> 00:02:16,660 and shelter will need to come from the Red Planet itself. 41 00:02:16,660 --> 00:02:17,493 But how? 42 00:02:18,364 --> 00:02:21,197 {\an8}(dramatic music) 43 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:26,230 {\an8}There's actually, you know, many reservoirs 44 00:02:26,230 --> 00:02:27,573 {\an8}of water on Mars. 45 00:02:29,450 --> 00:02:31,320 Scientists estimate that the planet 46 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,450 might have enough water resources to cover its surface 47 00:02:34,450 --> 00:02:37,620 beyond the height of a four-story building. 48 00:02:37,620 --> 00:02:41,340 We would need that water to drink, to grow crops, 49 00:02:41,340 --> 00:02:42,583 even for rocket fuel. 50 00:02:44,434 --> 00:02:45,267 But the problem is 51 00:02:45,267 --> 00:02:47,683 where most of those water reserves are located. 52 00:02:48,870 --> 00:02:51,560 {\an8}One of the challenges for a human settlement on Mars 53 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,630 {\an8}would be a balance between 54 00:02:53,630 --> 00:02:55,860 kind of livable climatic conditions, 55 00:02:55,860 --> 00:03:00,170 it's much warmer near the equator and the need for water. 56 00:03:00,170 --> 00:03:02,790 Most of the water is at the north pole or the south pole 57 00:03:02,790 --> 00:03:04,893 or underground near the poles. 58 00:03:05,770 --> 00:03:09,820 Near the equator in the summer, Mars can reach up to 59 00:03:09,820 --> 00:03:11,670 30 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 60 00:03:11,670 --> 00:03:13,050 At the north pole in the winter, 61 00:03:13,050 --> 00:03:15,793 you're talking minus 220 degrees Fahrenheit. 62 00:03:16,894 --> 00:03:18,770 (dramatic music) 63 00:03:18,770 --> 00:03:20,860 At first, the desire for a more 64 00:03:20,860 --> 00:03:23,503 hospitable climate will probably win out, 65 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,110 especially since our experience 66 00:03:26,110 --> 00:03:28,750 on the International Space Station has shown 67 00:03:28,750 --> 00:03:32,003 just how skilled we've become at recycling water. 68 00:03:33,250 --> 00:03:34,460 While the average American 69 00:03:34,460 --> 00:03:37,370 uses some 80 gallons per day on Earth, 70 00:03:37,370 --> 00:03:41,173 astronauts on the ISS use just one. 71 00:03:42,010 --> 00:03:46,060 They're able to do this by recycling urine and sweat, 72 00:03:46,060 --> 00:03:48,270 and by creating water through a process 73 00:03:48,270 --> 00:03:52,850 that combines excess hydrogen with exhaled CO2. 74 00:03:52,850 --> 00:03:55,003 No rinse body bath. 75 00:03:55,980 --> 00:03:59,110 You squirt it, float a ball of water in front of yourself, 76 00:03:59,110 --> 00:04:01,860 and so I wash my hands up with that 77 00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:04,360 and then grab a towel and dry them off. 78 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,500 But when you're done, we just tuck our towel somewhere 79 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:10,600 to let it air dry, so that the evaporated water 80 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,000 gets back into the space station 81 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,510 and we can use that water again. 82 00:04:13,510 --> 00:04:15,504 So it works pretty well. 83 00:04:15,504 --> 00:04:18,337 (dramatic music) 84 00:04:22,070 --> 00:04:25,100 Getting water on Mars will be challenging, 85 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:27,990 but ultimately there's a lot of water on Mars. 86 00:04:27,990 --> 00:04:30,570 So we know that it's there and we just need to figure out 87 00:04:30,570 --> 00:04:32,520 how to access it and how to move it 88 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,570 to the places where we need it the most. 89 00:04:34,570 --> 00:04:37,933 {\an8}Getting food on Mars is gonna be much more challenging. 90 00:04:40,250 --> 00:04:41,260 Human settlers on Mars 91 00:04:41,260 --> 00:04:43,130 would be able to use the environment 92 00:04:43,130 --> 00:04:44,993 for some of their resources, 93 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,290 but they wouldn't find plants there. 94 00:04:49,290 --> 00:04:50,790 They wouldn't find food there. 95 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,850 To survive on Mars, we'll need to bring 96 00:04:54,850 --> 00:04:56,893 our own plants and our own seeds, 97 00:04:57,750 --> 00:05:00,920 and with space being at a premium, both on the planet 98 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,660 and on the spacecraft that'll take us there, 99 00:05:03,660 --> 00:05:06,000 it'll be essential to know in advance, 100 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:07,760 which plants will be hardy enough 101 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,110 to survive Mars' conditions, 102 00:05:10,110 --> 00:05:12,450 and which will be able to deliver the calories 103 00:05:12,450 --> 00:05:13,763 our colonists will need. 104 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,900 There are a few basic problems with growing crops on Mars, 105 00:05:18,900 --> 00:05:21,900 starting with the sunshine, water, 106 00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:25,163 and soil that plants are used to here on Earth. 107 00:05:26,310 --> 00:05:29,010 The conditions on Mars are more challenging for plants. 108 00:05:29,010 --> 00:05:31,030 Sunlight is dimmer. 109 00:05:31,030 --> 00:05:35,780 The water on Mars is frozen and the nutrients on Mars 110 00:05:35,780 --> 00:05:37,943 are there, but the soil is toxic. 111 00:05:39,710 --> 00:05:41,280 To address this issue, 112 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:43,660 scientists are now developing greenhouses 113 00:05:43,660 --> 00:05:47,580 that'll operate with recycled water and artificial lights. 114 00:05:47,580 --> 00:05:50,260 But the plants will ultimately need to grow 115 00:05:50,260 --> 00:05:52,683 in specially-treated Martian dirt. 116 00:05:54,690 --> 00:05:57,780 On Mars, there's dirt everywhere. 117 00:05:57,780 --> 00:06:02,253 We call it regolith and it's broken up fragments of rock. 118 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:05,550 It's important to understand 119 00:06:05,550 --> 00:06:07,450 when we're thinking about growth on Mars, 120 00:06:07,450 --> 00:06:11,540 to recognize that rock is not the same thing as soil. 121 00:06:11,540 --> 00:06:14,150 There is a vast community of organisms 122 00:06:14,150 --> 00:06:16,400 that are in your average handful of soil 123 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,813 that really make it a hospitable place for plants to grow. 124 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:22,660 We'd need to bring our own seeds 125 00:06:22,660 --> 00:06:26,420 and bring our own technology for growing those seeds 126 00:06:26,420 --> 00:06:29,800 in Mars' dirt, probably supplemented 127 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,553 with nutrients from Earth. 128 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:35,110 So what I've done here is we've got some 129 00:06:35,110 --> 00:06:38,910 simulated Martian regolith, which actually is 130 00:06:38,910 --> 00:06:41,680 essentially ground up rock from the Mojave Desert 131 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,593 in the southwestern United States. 132 00:06:44,690 --> 00:06:48,490 I've set up an experiment where I've got some wheat grass 133 00:06:48,490 --> 00:06:51,830 that I've grown in the simulated Martian regolith, 134 00:06:51,830 --> 00:06:54,860 and then I've also grown some wheat grass 135 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:56,870 in actual potting soil. 136 00:06:56,870 --> 00:07:01,250 And so these wheat grass crops here have been growing 137 00:07:01,250 --> 00:07:05,473 for about two weeks under otherwise identical conditions. 138 00:07:06,570 --> 00:07:09,310 And what we've done here is really just a small, 139 00:07:09,310 --> 00:07:11,620 mini version of the types of experiments 140 00:07:11,620 --> 00:07:13,600 that are being done around the country 141 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,880 and around the world to try to understand 142 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,870 how plants will actually grow in real Martian soil. 143 00:07:19,870 --> 00:07:23,280 What we can't do is simulate the low gravity, 144 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,820 or the intense radiation, 145 00:07:25,820 --> 00:07:28,293 or the toxic perchlorates in the soil. 146 00:07:29,430 --> 00:07:30,730 What we can see from the results 147 00:07:30,730 --> 00:07:32,410 of our small experiment here 148 00:07:32,410 --> 00:07:36,290 is that the plants do grow in the Martian regolith, 149 00:07:36,290 --> 00:07:37,980 but they don't grow quite as well 150 00:07:37,980 --> 00:07:41,080 as they do in the garden soil. 151 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,300 So, it's really important that these differences 152 00:07:44,300 --> 00:07:47,380 be understood because we have to be precise 153 00:07:47,380 --> 00:07:51,960 in our ability to grow plants on Mars. 154 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,120 The ability to grow enough food on Mars 155 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,110 will literally be the difference between life and death 156 00:07:58,110 --> 00:07:59,991 for people living on Mars. 157 00:07:59,991 --> 00:08:01,442 (dramatic music) 158 00:08:01,442 --> 00:08:02,580 And our experience growing plants 159 00:08:02,580 --> 00:08:05,530 on the International Space Station has taught us 160 00:08:05,530 --> 00:08:08,570 that our human emotional connection to growing plants 161 00:08:08,570 --> 00:08:10,023 can't be overlooked either. 162 00:08:11,500 --> 00:08:13,600 {\an8}It's a kind of a dynamic event 163 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,960 {\an8}that you can engage in regularly and there is a contribution 164 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,280 {\an8}to psychological wellbeing with that. 165 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,320 They also grow emotionally attached to it. 166 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,350 It's a living thing that they're responsible for. 167 00:08:24,350 --> 00:08:27,283 And to see it be successful, brings them great joy. 168 00:08:28,330 --> 00:08:31,780 But we do have to help the crew plan properly, 169 00:08:31,780 --> 00:08:34,890 so when there is, you know, something like a plant, 170 00:08:34,890 --> 00:08:38,520 a crop doesn't work, that it's also not catastrophic 171 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,120 from their health and wellbeing. 172 00:08:41,180 --> 00:08:43,380 Little by little scientists are piecing 173 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:46,540 together what a Martian buffet will look like. 174 00:08:46,540 --> 00:08:51,423 Plenty of dandelion, radishes, sweet potatoes, kale, 175 00:08:52,950 --> 00:08:57,030 tomatoes, and perhaps even hops. 176 00:08:57,030 --> 00:08:59,190 But there are a lot of things that won't be coming 177 00:08:59,190 --> 00:09:04,190 to a plate on Mars anytime soon, like carrots, corn, 178 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:07,583 most fruit trees, and meat. 179 00:09:08,980 --> 00:09:11,240 Not only does traditional livestock require 180 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,030 far too much land and water resources, 181 00:09:14,030 --> 00:09:15,970 the few attempts astronauts have made 182 00:09:15,970 --> 00:09:19,153 in rearing chicks in space have not been promising. 183 00:09:19,992 --> 00:09:21,770 (dramatic music) 184 00:09:21,770 --> 00:09:25,000 In short, there may be beer on Mars, 185 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,743 but no Buffalo wings or loaded nachos. 186 00:09:28,660 --> 00:09:32,230 There may be however, another tasty, sustainable, 187 00:09:32,230 --> 00:09:35,040 calorie-dense, protein-packed alternative 188 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,373 for future Martians. 189 00:09:38,031 --> 00:09:40,700 So one alternative to bringing cows and pigs 190 00:09:40,700 --> 00:09:43,223 is to bring insects. 191 00:09:44,090 --> 00:09:46,940 We can grow crickets on just a small amount 192 00:09:46,940 --> 00:09:50,240 of water and food, a fraction of what would be used 193 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,383 to keep chickens or pigs or cows. 194 00:09:55,730 --> 00:09:57,100 I really like the taste of crickets. 195 00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:01,260 It has kind of a nutty, earthy kind of flavor to it. 196 00:10:01,260 --> 00:10:03,750 The texture is nice, it's crunchy. 197 00:10:03,750 --> 00:10:07,953 It's got a light kind of a saltiness to it. 198 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,260 You can also grind the crickets up and make a flour. 199 00:10:13,260 --> 00:10:16,710 Now this flour can be used as a substitute for wheat flour. 200 00:10:16,710 --> 00:10:18,390 So you can bake bread out of it. 201 00:10:18,390 --> 00:10:19,620 You can make cookies. 202 00:10:19,620 --> 00:10:21,980 You can make other types of baked goods. 203 00:10:21,980 --> 00:10:24,653 You could even turn it into tortilla chips. 204 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,660 Cheesy nachos may be a no, 205 00:10:28,660 --> 00:10:33,024 but cricket chips and salsa are a definite maybe. 206 00:10:33,024 --> 00:10:34,440 (dramatic music) 207 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,800 Science may also bring the Mars community 208 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,280 another new protein alternative, 209 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:43,130 one literally pulled out of thin Martian air. 210 00:10:43,130 --> 00:10:47,020 The concept was first conceived by NASA decades ago 211 00:10:47,020 --> 00:10:49,020 and is now being brought to market 212 00:10:49,020 --> 00:10:51,233 by companies in the U.S. and Europe. 213 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,030 Here at Solar Foods, we are producing a natural protein 214 00:10:56,030 --> 00:10:59,300 {\an8}by a fermentation process, much similar to producing beer 215 00:10:59,300 --> 00:11:01,113 {\an8}or wine, for example. 216 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,190 Inside a futuristic-looking bioreactor, 217 00:11:06,190 --> 00:11:10,050 microbes are fed hydrogen and carbon dioxide, 218 00:11:10,050 --> 00:11:13,513 a resource that makes up 95% of Mars' atmosphere. 219 00:11:15,770 --> 00:11:18,720 Our production process provides very safe 220 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,223 and consistent way for protein production. 221 00:11:22,630 --> 00:11:25,420 As the microbes grow and multiply, 222 00:11:25,420 --> 00:11:27,770 they produce an edible substance 223 00:11:27,770 --> 00:11:30,483 that is roughly 50% protein. 224 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:36,190 When dried it forms a protein powder that can be shaped, 225 00:11:36,190 --> 00:11:40,830 cooked, and presented as a meatball, a burger, 226 00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:42,640 or mixed with other ingredients 227 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,003 and baked into a crusty baguette. 228 00:11:46,981 --> 00:11:49,814 (dramatic music) 229 00:11:55,890 --> 00:11:59,760 {\an8}With Martian water to drink and Martian meals to eat, 230 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,670 {\an8}settlers will next need a safe place to live 231 00:12:02,670 --> 00:12:05,363 and make the planet habitable for the long haul. 232 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,830 Initially, they'll live in habitats 233 00:12:08,830 --> 00:12:12,620 brought with them from Earth or sent in advance. 234 00:12:12,620 --> 00:12:14,750 (dramatic music) 235 00:12:14,750 --> 00:12:17,760 We're going to have to pre-deploy the resources 236 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,993 to enable the people to settle it. 237 00:12:20,910 --> 00:12:23,940 Building a permanent settlement from scratch 238 00:12:23,940 --> 00:12:26,393 will add a whole other level of complexity. 239 00:12:28,190 --> 00:12:30,810 To build homes or habitats on Mars, 240 00:12:30,810 --> 00:12:32,110 you need to think about it, 241 00:12:32,110 --> 00:12:33,560 approach it in a very different way 242 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:35,290 than we build homes on Earth. 243 00:12:35,290 --> 00:12:37,860 The atmospheric pressure is significantly less 244 00:12:37,860 --> 00:12:40,370 than the atmospheric pressure at the top of Mount Everest. 245 00:12:40,370 --> 00:12:45,100 And so your home needs to have a complete seal around it, 246 00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:48,023 so you're not losing air to the broader environment. 247 00:12:49,861 --> 00:12:52,480 And there are the 100 degree temperature swings 248 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:54,353 that can happen within a single day, 249 00:12:56,385 --> 00:12:59,720 massive dust storms that can go on for months 250 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,803 and the unrelenting radiation. 251 00:13:02,997 --> 00:13:03,830 (dramatic music) 252 00:13:03,830 --> 00:13:05,490 Well, when I think about 253 00:13:05,490 --> 00:13:07,790 where I might want to live on Mars, 254 00:13:07,790 --> 00:13:10,340 there's nothing quite like the protection of, you know, 255 00:13:10,340 --> 00:13:14,083 maybe a meter of rock that would really make me feel safe. 256 00:13:15,180 --> 00:13:18,160 We know that the solar particles 257 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,650 that are hitting the surface are probably only penetrating 258 00:13:20,650 --> 00:13:23,910 a couple of centimeters and the galactic cosmic rays 259 00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:26,180 that are interacting with the surface of Mars 260 00:13:26,180 --> 00:13:28,790 are probably only going down about 10 centimeters. 261 00:13:28,790 --> 00:13:32,090 So certainly, cave structures or anything underground 262 00:13:32,090 --> 00:13:35,063 would offer you a lot of protection from radiation. 263 00:13:36,460 --> 00:13:38,040 There are potential downsides 264 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:41,660 to living in a distant cave or an underground lava tube, 265 00:13:41,660 --> 00:13:43,003 like you find on Mars. 266 00:13:43,868 --> 00:13:44,701 What in the world? 267 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:47,980 Come on in. 268 00:13:47,980 --> 00:13:49,993 And there's the beautiful Earth. 269 00:13:52,410 --> 00:13:53,790 Even astronauts aboard the 270 00:13:53,790 --> 00:13:58,300 International Space Station, just 220 miles from Earth, 271 00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:01,273 struggle with being disconnected from their home planet. 272 00:14:02,339 --> 00:14:04,250 (dramatic music) 273 00:14:04,250 --> 00:14:06,170 We had to design a window, 274 00:14:06,170 --> 00:14:09,350 dedicated toward the view of the Earth, called the cupola. 275 00:14:09,350 --> 00:14:11,563 The crew really rely on that connection. 276 00:14:13,540 --> 00:14:16,170 We've gotta find ways to balance between 277 00:14:16,170 --> 00:14:18,400 essentially living in a cave 278 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,793 and a place like a home we have here on Earth. 279 00:14:23,090 --> 00:14:25,870 Fortunately, the solution to this problem 280 00:14:25,870 --> 00:14:30,133 may already be on Mars, fine grains of Martian regolith. 281 00:14:31,750 --> 00:14:33,180 Actually, for an example here, 282 00:14:33,180 --> 00:14:37,180 this is just the finest component of that Mars regolith. 283 00:14:37,180 --> 00:14:40,050 If we took that finest component and mix it with water 284 00:14:40,050 --> 00:14:45,050 and maybe some plant binders, we can actually 3D print 285 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,140 this kind of material to make houses 286 00:14:49,140 --> 00:14:52,023 or structures for settlements Mars. 287 00:14:54,380 --> 00:14:57,610 In 2015, with this idea in mind, 288 00:14:57,610 --> 00:15:02,100 NASA launched the inaugural 3D-printed habitat challenge, 289 00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:05,210 inviting teams to design homes that could be built 290 00:15:05,210 --> 00:15:09,003 on site on Mars, using simulated Martian regolith. 291 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,150 For the eventual winning design, Marsha, 292 00:15:14,150 --> 00:15:15,913 from the AI Space Factory. 293 00:15:16,970 --> 00:15:19,640 The first challenge was to address the unique physical 294 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,633 and psychological challenge the Red Planet presents. 295 00:15:25,170 --> 00:15:27,220 {\an8}We're just a step from Earth to Mars, 296 00:15:27,220 --> 00:15:30,040 {\an8}so we are expecting our needs to be answered. 297 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,110 So all of the functionality inside of that building 298 00:15:34,110 --> 00:15:38,190 from the work environment, from the kitchen, 299 00:15:38,190 --> 00:15:40,120 from where you're hanging out with them, 300 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,170 because it's going to be a long time, 301 00:15:42,170 --> 00:15:44,423 but you're living in just one building. 302 00:15:46,690 --> 00:15:47,830 For the team, 303 00:15:47,830 --> 00:15:52,223 the answer is a four-level structure, 3D printed on Mars. 304 00:15:53,170 --> 00:15:54,890 There would be windows on each level, 305 00:15:54,890 --> 00:15:57,913 creating a combined 360 degree view. 306 00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:03,120 And segregated spaces for work, socializing, 307 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,463 and personal space. 308 00:16:05,471 --> 00:16:08,304 (dramatic music) 309 00:16:11,540 --> 00:16:14,273 But designing the structure was just the start. 310 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:16,850 You're the guy? I'm the guy. 311 00:16:16,850 --> 00:16:19,512 Okay. Started, all right. 312 00:16:19,512 --> 00:16:20,530 We are started. 313 00:16:20,530 --> 00:16:22,210 To collect their prize, 314 00:16:22,210 --> 00:16:26,050 the AI Space Factory team would need to 3D print 315 00:16:26,050 --> 00:16:28,483 a one-third scale version of the structure. 316 00:16:29,974 --> 00:16:30,807 Release. 317 00:16:33,427 --> 00:16:34,590 Okay, clear. 318 00:16:34,590 --> 00:16:38,230 So, we were asked to complete our construction 319 00:16:38,230 --> 00:16:40,050 in 30 hours in three days. 320 00:16:40,050 --> 00:16:42,110 And it was one-third of the scale, 321 00:16:42,110 --> 00:16:44,970 but also you felt like I'm walking 322 00:16:44,970 --> 00:16:48,790 on a one-third of the scale Mars, right. 323 00:16:48,790 --> 00:16:50,240 This line represents roughly 324 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:51,800 where the second floor starts. 325 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:56,337 So, if you had a person they'd be about that tall. 326 00:16:56,337 --> 00:16:59,263 And that was like a dream come true. 327 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,883 Then watch it endure a grueling stress test. 328 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,500 One of the other things that we were really 329 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:11,990 like excited about was the moment 330 00:17:11,990 --> 00:17:15,670 that the CAT caterpillar machine was trying 331 00:17:15,670 --> 00:17:18,700 to crush our structure. 332 00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:21,920 And it was so hard for it to crush 333 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,940 that the CAT started lifting up from the ground, 334 00:17:24,940 --> 00:17:26,890 as it was trying to crush the structure. 335 00:17:26,890 --> 00:17:29,460 And we were like, that's impossible. 336 00:17:29,460 --> 00:17:30,710 But that is the material, 337 00:17:30,710 --> 00:17:32,460 that is the structure that we have. 338 00:17:36,250 --> 00:17:40,200 First place goes to Team AI Space Factory. 339 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,350 But once again, the idea of 3D printing 340 00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:46,743 habitats on Mars presents its own trade off. 341 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:50,480 Mars is smaller than Earth, 342 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:52,300 but if you took all of the land on Earth 343 00:17:52,300 --> 00:17:53,270 and squished it together, 344 00:17:53,270 --> 00:17:54,760 it's actually about the same amount 345 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,453 of land we have on Mars. 346 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,080 Depending on where we land on Mars, 347 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,400 there will be different ratios of rock and dirt and dust, 348 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:05,510 just like on Earth. 349 00:18:05,510 --> 00:18:09,850 And so, you know, the ideal regolith for building 350 00:18:09,850 --> 00:18:12,900 may or may not be present in exactly the location we land, 351 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:14,980 especially if we're looking for other resources, 352 00:18:14,980 --> 00:18:18,100 like water or caves or lava tubes 353 00:18:18,100 --> 00:18:20,363 that might protect astronauts from radiation. 354 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:24,440 Whether future settlers 355 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,370 plan on bringing their homes to Mars 356 00:18:26,370 --> 00:18:28,440 or building them onsite, 357 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,540 they're going to have to make compromises. 358 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,120 A third model that scientists at NASA 359 00:18:34,120 --> 00:18:36,330 and elsewhere have begun exploring, 360 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:39,143 presents an entirely new approach to this problem. 361 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:43,193 What if we could grow our own habitats on Mars? 362 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:52,500 These blocks, they look kind of alien, kind of strange. 363 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:55,470 They're hard. 364 00:18:55,470 --> 00:18:57,210 They're really strong, 365 00:18:57,210 --> 00:19:00,350 but this isn't some kind of new space age material. 366 00:19:00,350 --> 00:19:02,670 This is actually fungus. 367 00:19:02,670 --> 00:19:07,670 So what we've done here is we've put the fungal spores 368 00:19:07,830 --> 00:19:12,450 into a preformed block of sawdust. 369 00:19:12,450 --> 00:19:15,020 It could be any type of organic matter, actually, 370 00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:18,180 including organic waste like food waste. 371 00:19:18,180 --> 00:19:20,750 But once the fungi start to grow 372 00:19:20,750 --> 00:19:23,150 these fungal strands that are linear 373 00:19:23,150 --> 00:19:25,590 form a network together of mycelium, 374 00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:28,290 and they take on the shape of the block. 375 00:19:28,290 --> 00:19:30,700 If we were to let these continue to grow, 376 00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:35,100 they would turn into the much more familiar shape 377 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:36,700 of a mushroom. 378 00:19:36,700 --> 00:19:39,010 The mushroom is the reproductive structure, 379 00:19:39,010 --> 00:19:42,410 but at the base of this entire structure 380 00:19:42,410 --> 00:19:47,410 are the mycelium that form the block now of fungus. 381 00:19:48,830 --> 00:19:51,050 Scientists and designers alike 382 00:19:51,050 --> 00:19:53,940 are discovering that these mycelium bricks 383 00:19:53,940 --> 00:19:56,370 may have some one-of-a-kind build qualities 384 00:19:56,370 --> 00:19:58,480 that would be useful on Mars. 385 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,010 Not only are they strong and insulating, 386 00:20:01,010 --> 00:20:03,893 they can be shaped into almost any form. 387 00:20:05,010 --> 00:20:07,830 One of the things that's so exciting about the possibility 388 00:20:07,830 --> 00:20:10,540 of using fungi as a building material 389 00:20:10,540 --> 00:20:15,540 is that it forms this really strong resistant structure. 390 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:23,790 And that's because inside of this brick 391 00:20:24,670 --> 00:20:29,670 is a dense network of fungal mycelium. 392 00:20:31,690 --> 00:20:36,210 On the inside here is all these little white structures 393 00:20:36,210 --> 00:20:39,053 that white is all of the fungal tissue. 394 00:20:40,650 --> 00:20:42,080 All we have to do is grow them 395 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,220 in a preformed shape like this and they'll take on the shape 396 00:20:45,220 --> 00:20:46,770 of whatever we want them to be. 397 00:20:48,730 --> 00:20:51,260 At NASA's Ames Research Center, 398 00:20:51,260 --> 00:20:54,640 scientists envision homes formed with mycelium, 399 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:59,230 then covered in ice to protect the interior from radiation. 400 00:20:59,230 --> 00:21:01,990 They'll also need to protect the Martian landscape 401 00:21:01,990 --> 00:21:04,413 from potential Earthly contamination. 402 00:21:06,260 --> 00:21:08,710 One of the things we'll need to be really cautious about 403 00:21:08,710 --> 00:21:11,830 as we move to Mars is to not contaminate 404 00:21:11,830 --> 00:21:14,560 the Martian ecosystems with microorganisms 405 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:16,780 like fungi from Earth. 406 00:21:16,780 --> 00:21:20,470 So what we can do is we can actually grow the fungi 407 00:21:20,470 --> 00:21:23,840 and then bake them so that we essentially kill 408 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,583 or inactivate the live fungal tissue. 409 00:21:28,660 --> 00:21:30,710 So how will we live on Mars? 410 00:21:31,670 --> 00:21:35,720 Are we destined to live isolated in our 3D printed homes, 411 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,203 living off air burgers, crickets, and leafy greens? 412 00:21:42,110 --> 00:21:44,640 Beyond taking care of our survival needs, 413 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,453 will we be able to manage our other human emotional needs? 414 00:21:49,790 --> 00:21:53,670 For the first settlers, the idea of return 415 00:21:53,670 --> 00:21:57,880 not being part of your mission is such a psychological shift 416 00:21:57,880 --> 00:21:59,480 that will have to be dealt with. 417 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,400 How we live, eat, and drink 418 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,140 will determine whether or not we can survive on planet Mars. 419 00:22:07,140 --> 00:22:10,630 It will also help determine how we adjust psychologically 420 00:22:10,630 --> 00:22:13,010 to this extraordinary mission. 421 00:22:13,010 --> 00:22:15,680 It's not only just about getting the calories you need, 422 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:18,410 but actually enjoying it and using it as a way 423 00:22:18,410 --> 00:22:20,930 to come together as a small group 424 00:22:20,930 --> 00:22:22,880 and celebrate things and have traditions 425 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:26,513 and have ways to mark time are incredibly important. 426 00:22:28,250 --> 00:22:29,990 People living in a colony on Mars 427 00:22:29,990 --> 00:22:33,500 are gonna have a sense of identity and pride, 428 00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:36,020 a lot like what people living in extreme places 429 00:22:36,020 --> 00:22:37,673 here on Earth experience. 430 00:22:39,470 --> 00:22:43,090 Martian feasts, Martian architecture, 431 00:22:43,090 --> 00:22:47,400 Martian celebrations, and Martian sunsets, 432 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,260 every day we spend on Mars will move us one step further 433 00:22:51,260 --> 00:22:54,700 from our home on Earth and one step closer 434 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:56,593 to becoming true Martians. 435 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:02,180 But as our approach to surviving on another planet evolves, 436 00:23:02,180 --> 00:23:05,490 inside of us down to our DNA, 437 00:23:05,490 --> 00:23:08,340 we will continue to evolve as well 438 00:23:08,340 --> 00:23:11,963 in ways scientists still don't completely understand. 439 00:23:13,022 --> 00:23:15,855 (dramatic music)