XinaBox Space STEM Mega Assignment - Living on Mars

Submit a maximum 5 minute video that explains what you would take into consideration when designing a habitat on Mars. As part of your submission, demonstrate how you have coded or configured your XinaBox kit to monitor the conditions in your habitat, so that you can ensure that it is habitable.

This assignment will require research, coding and experimentation.

We encourage you to ask questions along the way.

Useful links and background information:

Tips:

Watch the movie "The Martian". If you've seen it, watch it again. Take into consideration what we need for survival:

  • Breathable air - roughly 20% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen and 2% Argon and others, 1 atmosphere pressure, little to no carbon dioxide or other gasses, comfortable humidity and temperature
  • Water – how much needs to be drinkable, what can the plants handle, what do we do for cleaning?
  • Food – what can we grow on Mars? What do we do about protein, what are the latest trends with meat substitutes? Can we grow protein? What other minerals do we need?
  • Energy - "fuel" for energy, heating, cooling, transportation
  • Living conditions - There are other elements you can consider, like communication with Earth, entertainment and wellbeing, the list is long….you don’t need to include these, yet you may want to.

Here is an indoor comfort level chart that could be useful:

Relative Humidity in % and Temperature in Fahrenheit and Centigrade. The green area is where we are comfortable.