National Geographic Reveals How the First Houses on Mars Would Look Like

Ever wondered how houses on Mars would look if plans of Mars colonization, like that of SpaceX's Elon Musk, would come true? National Geographic gives a sneak peek on how future human habitats would look like on the red planet.

National Geographic introduces the igloo-like house that could be man's first home on Mars. The Martian dome was made as part of a National Geographic mini-series to be aired on Nov. 13. The igloo home was the result of consultation with astronomers Stephen Petranek from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The dome took several months to construct.

The house is designed to be built using natural and recyclable resources such as materials that could be mined on Mars as well as recycled spacecraft parts. Together with a double air-lock at the house's entrance, the structure is built not too look cool but to be self-protecting from the red planet's harsh environment. Daily Mail says that the house could withstand below minus temperature, cosmic radiation and more via its 10-feet thick walls.

The show room of man's Mars habitat will have a transparent viewing dome, large transmitter and "stability wings." It was constructed by Wild Creations and will be on display in London at the Royal Observatory Greenwich from Nov. 10 to 16.

But where will these Martian homes get their power? In a report from Wired, astronomer Frank Shu proposes the idea of using a cheap, safe and efficient nuclear reactor.

“If we develop a rocket to Mars, who knows what cool earthly spinoffs we’ll develop along the way. Stuff like Tang! You love Tang! Right?" Shu said. He further said that this reactors could also be used as more efficient energy sources on Earth and then developed afterward on Mars.

However, the idea of using nuclear power on the planet or on Mars is still "politically and philosophically fraught," which means that the project should be backed up by the government and with big funding.

“I want to build this on Earth, but I want NASA to pay for it. Development by NASA could bypass much of the red tape that now ties up the timely testing of novel prototype reactors,” Shu said.