Although is began as a science fiction fantasy that seemed far out of reality's reach, rapid advancements in space travel technology make Mars colonization closer than ever, and RedWorks has just developed a 3-D printing system to create the first homes on the Red Planet when it happens.
"Mars is our next nearest destination," said Jekan Thanga, a professor at Arizona State University who has worked on U.S. and Canadian space missions. "It's our most practical destination for long-term colonization."
When this colonization happens, aerospace engineer Keegan Kirkpatrick and his startup RedWorks hope that their 3-D printing system will be used to create everything from buildings, roads and other infrastructure to sustain human life on the planet.
"There are a lot of businesses focused on launching satellites and humans into space, but one important thing that isn't being addressed very much is the kind of infrastructure that needs to be put in place for us to be able to operate on another planet," he said.
In order to create his unique 3-D printing system, Kirkpatrick recruited a team with diverse backgrounds, including a geologist who understands the Martian landscape, a 3-D printing specialist who has worked on movie special effects, and a designer that has experience bringing 3-D printing materials and designs into reality.
The team is driven by the principles of the maker movements, focusing on hard problems - like space travel and interplanetary colonization - and coming up with simple DIY solutions.
Kirkpatrick has also thought about food on the Red Planet and believes that the first settlements would rely on a system called aquaponics that harnesses the waste gained from fish to grow plants that in turn purify water.
"It's a closed loop that keeps both the plants and the fish alive," he said.
RedWorks is still working to improve its 3-D printing system as much as possible and plans to create various spin-off technologies adapted to other industries, such as erosion management, renewable energy production and water conservation, in order to create short-term payoffs and attract investors.
"The mentality of investing in space has been changing," Kirkpatrick said. "Now we're no longer seeing that operations in space are a pie in the sky, but a source of near-term return on investment."
Time will tell how successful RedWorks is in its mission to create the first homes during Mars colonization using 3-D printing, but Kirkpatrick is very committed to the goal regardless.
"Mars is the next frontier," he said. "It's fascinating to think that this is truly a new world for mankind to make its home on."
