Long term habitats for astronomers on Mars will require some major creative thinking. How can living quarters be established quickly, with a minimum of resources and stay durable for the long time that they will be in use. This is a puzzle that scientists have been working on for a while to solve.

While one batch of researchers is working on turning Martian soil into bricks using pressure, another is wondering if constructing igloos is the way to go. NASA scientists have been working on reinventing the traditional Igloo in a manner that it works on Mars.

The concept is to have an inflatable domed structure which can be filled with water. Given the much colder temperatures of the Martian atmosphere, the water will freeze in place. This will provide the Igloo with a thick wall of ice that helps protect the inhabitants from dangerous cosmic rays that float around the surface as well.

The science project involving housing options on Mars has many more concepts under exploration by NASA scientists. Whatever the astronomers eventually use will need to be resilient enough to survive harsh terrains as well as easy enough to set up with a minimal amount of resources and fuss.