How to Build a Station on Mars Settlement sites on Mars will be chosen based on their mineral or water wealth, or for scientific interest. But some sites will be discarded as too dangerous because there are exposed to wind, too cold and dark, or contain too few resources for humans to survive. On Earth, our homes merely have to be strong enough to remain upright and be reasonably warm and lit, but Mars is not a pleasant place for an unprotected human. There is too little oxygen, too little air pressure, too large of a daily temperature swing, and little protection from cosmic and solar radiation. For all of these reasons, we have to make buildings that are strong, lit, warm, pressurized, air-tight, and shielded from radiation. There are three main building types available on Mars: Underground enclosure - Bricks made from the Martian soil are buried under 2 yards of dirt for shielding, insulation, and easy sealing of leaks. Making extra space is difficult, though, and plant growth is under artificial light. Geodesic domes - Inflated domes are anchored by being partially buried and supported by central columns. Houses inside are then made of brick. This form of station is easy to replicate for as much space as we need. We rely on the atmosphere and the dome material to shield us from radiation. However, if the dome is punctured by a meteorite or an accident, the buildings and people inside are in grave danger due to decompression. Cave or cliff dwelling - A tunnel is built into a cliff side, or an existing tunnel or cave is used. The tunnel entrance is sealed, and the inside space is used for living and working areas. There is little natural light available except for that which enters the front of the cave, but extra space can be created relatively easily by making new tunnels.