Before you commit to a Martian mission, get ready to part with the traditional idea of a bedroom as you know it.
On Mars, and in space beyond Earth, a large bed with a plush mattress and a bulky comforter would be an unimaginable luxury. With the sky-high costs of transporting items to Mars and the limited space in the habitats we’ll probably construct there, we’ll require a completely fresh approach to furniture and interior design on the red planet.
Ikea on Mars
With this challenge in mind, a group of IKEA designers recently met in the Utah desert to spend three days in a simulated Mars habitat, contemplating crafting furniture for a space mission (or a compact home here on Earth).
Function comes first
IKEA isn’t the only one envisioning what Martian interiors might be like. Partly drawing on projections that shipping freight to Mars could exceed €2240 per pound (not even half a kilogram), Renens, Switzerland–based designer Thomas Missé conceived ultra-slim, stackable, carbon-fiber Mars chairs.
For its part, NASA has invited architecture firms to envision how structures might appear on Mars. Some concepts submitted to the space agency as part of its 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge resemble upscale cabins. The top design in the challenge’s design phase, the Mars Ice House, is a four-story, igloo-inspired habitat featuring a spiral staircase, a blend of private and shared areas, and rooms with curved walls to create a sense of expanded space.
Of course, these concepts won’t come to fruition unless the tools and materials required for their construction meet the strict engineering requirements for space travel.
“It starts and ends with the rocket science,” Adams said. “It has to be light enough and strong enough to be transported off Earth.”
What’re more, most of the tools and furnishing you pack will need to be useful under the conditions of both zero-gravity in space and Martian gravity (which is about one-third of Earth’s gravity). The spaceship itself might need to be convertible into habitat walls, tables, chairs, and so on. And each of those items would likely also serve multiple functions.
Material world
If a function stands as a cornerstone for building furniture and habitats on Mars, materials are another crucial element. The plastics and synthetic compounds found in Earth-made furniture and related products can emit gases that might present hazards in enclosed environments, Adams noted. She suggests natural materials like wool, wood, and leather could be the optimal options for interior decor.
To foster positive emotions on Mars, designers will seek methods to help astronauts form an emotional connection with the furniture and interior adornments within their habitat. Philipp Süssman, another IKEA team member, noted that people often feel more attached to items they assemble or put together themselves.
Good design could also help ease the interpersonal conflict that might arise on Mars.
“King Arthur’s roundtable is a very smart piece of furniture for a group of knights,” Adams said. “You have to design the common spaces so there’s an equality of positions.” And, she added, given the high sound levels that might exist in a Mars habitat filed with whirring fans and other machinery, facing one another at meals and other gatherings might make things easier by facilitating lip-reading.
In the end, designs tailored for Mars could significantly ease daily life amid the planet’s tough conditions. Likewise, the design concepts that succeed on Mars could inspire improved habitats on Earth, particularly as we confront increasing environmental stresses.
As Adams pondered this line of inquiry, she recalled Bill Anders, the Apollo 8 astronaut who captured the renowned Earthrise image: “We journeyed here to study the moon, yet the most crucial finding was our discovery of the Earth.”
This piece originally ran on NBC News
