ROGERS (KFSM) -- An architect from Rogers, along with two other teammates, have won a NASA competition to design detailed digital housing structures for Mars.
Trey Lane, a self-described space enthusiast, combined his skills as an architect with his love of space when he entered the contest. He shortly thereafter created Team Zopherus. For the next few months, the team worked to create digital representations of the physical and functional characteristics of a house on Mars.
The Team Zopherus design beat out 18 other teams from around the world.
Lane said their design consisted of a robotic lander which would travel to Mars. Inside the lander would be equipment and technology used to build 3D-printed structures that can withstand the atmosphere of Mars. Materials native to the Red Planet, like ice, calcium oxide and martian aggregate would also be gathered and used to build the outer shell of the habitat structures.
A detailed video of the process can be found here.
The process can be repeated until the number of needed buildings is met.
Space explorers would then travel to Mars and inhabitant the structures, which prompted Lane and his teammates to ensure the interior offered a homelike atmosphere, with a large window and a mezzanine.
"They're spending a year of their life there and it not only has to keep them alive, but also keep them psychologically fit," Land said.
There's no guaranteeing these plans would ever be used by NASA, only a possibility.
"NASA is sponsoring these competitions to develop technologies to make space missions possible," Land said, which he added was the most exciting thing about the whole experience.
"To think what we've designed, what we've come up with could enable humanity to step out on another planet," Lane said. "That's just amazing."