Futureproof: Progenitor Community on Mars
Five-time mission spacecraft Progenitor reaches its final resting place and is converted to a high-rise habitat for a new generation of Mars explorers.
FUTURE NARRATIVE /
It’s been almost two years since our trusty spacecraft Progenitor gently touched down in Columbia Hills for the last time. After making five trans-terran trips, we completed all conversion activities in record time, transforming our spacecraft into a high-rise habitat.
Decades ago, the Mars Rover Spirit discovered that hot mineral springs had once burbled up from the rocks near the nearby Gustav Crater. This has proven invaluable as we now harness hydrogen and oxygen from the soil to meet our air, water, and power needs, and we are growing food hydroponically on the Progenitor’s upper decks. We look forward to having Martian neighbors as the spacecraft Assurance will join us on Plot Five early next year.
TECHNOLOGY /
Spacecraft like SpaceX’s Starship will be large enough to ferry many people to the Red Planet.
One way to accommodate new residents on Mars may be to repurpose retired spacecraft as they are converted into longer-term surface habitats.
Utilizing existing elements in the Martian soil will be crucial to the long-term terraforming of the planet.
IMPLICATIONS /
Terraforming other planets will empower humans to become a multi-planet species and live beyond any potential extinction-level events on Earth. How will the new Martian communities survive, thrive, and govern to sustain life on the red planet?
INSPIRATIONAL SOURCES /
Futureproof is a series of occasional provocations illustrating possible future paths for technology and culture. Think postcards from the future.
