Star City: A Vision for a City on Mars
Star City represents a groundbreaking vision for the settlement of Mars. Designed with a blend of technological innovation and a deep understanding of human needs, the colony aims to be a sustainable, thriving, and resilient community on the Red Planet.
Human Community and Social Systems
At its heart, Star City is about its people. The design principles of the colony are rooted in a profound understanding of human nature and needs. Recognizing that humans are inherently imperfect but capable of growth, the social systems of Star City are designed to foster education, mentorship, and innovation. The community acknowledges the importance of intimacy, authenticity, and purpose in ensuring psychological well-being. Resilience, both individual and collective, is championed, with systems in place to support citizens in times of adversity. Institutions in Star City are designed to be adaptive, reflective, and inclusive, ensuring they remain effective and aligned with the community's needs.
Figure: The five villages start out from 12 persons each, grow to 200 persons each and interconnect their tunnel networks to give rise to a resilient 1,000 person city on Mars. Star City's five villages are energy-rich, with powerful color lasers overcoming planetary albedo so as to be visible from backyard telescopes and inspire children back on Earth. Image credit: Delta Architects (Athens, Greece).
Economic Foundations
Economically, Star City is positioned to be a pioneer with a credible path to become self-funding. The main strategy is to establish the Star City Development Guild as the premier provider for constructing habitable outposts on Mars. This ambition is fueled by the ongoing space race, with major powers and corporations vying to establish a permanent presence on other worlds. The two cornerstones of Star City's economic strategy are the mastery of technologies for habitat construction and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). By maximizing the use of Martian resources to increase the robustness, scale and diversity of habitable spaces, the colony aims to reduce its dependence on Earth, paving the way for organic economic growth and eventual self-sufficiency.
Figure: Most of Star City is underground inside robust, radiation-proof tunnels. The tunnel network connects the five villages to each other, to ground-level garages housing pressurized rovers and to sunlit domes with panoramic views of the Martian horizon. Shown in the figure are pedestrian (bright green), vehicle (purple), residential (yellow), leisure (red), industry and logistics (blue) and farming (green) tunnels. Image credit: Delta Architects (Athens, Greece).
Infrastructure and Sustainability
Sustainability is a key theme in Star City's design. The colony boasts a water-rich environment, with a meticulously planned water budget ensuring ample reserves for the community. Additive manufacturing, leveraging both Martian resources and imports from Earth, forms the backbone of the colony's industrial base. Food production, too, is a blend of innovation and sustainability, with systems in place for producing crops, fish, chicken, and eggs in a symbiotic environment. The habitats and homes in Star City are not just functional but also cater to the human need for sunlight and views, with residences strategically located high up near the crater rim.
Figure: The living room of a private residence inside a radiation-proof tunnel, with artificial skylight. Image credit: Delta Architects (Athens, Greece).
Governing and Judicial Systems
Central to the governance of Star City is a council comprising citizens aged 30 and above, chosen based on their standing and contributions to the community. This council is not just a symbolic entity; it actively facilitates open consultations and administers votes through a secure online platform, ensuring that every voice is heard. The judiciary, another pillar of Star City's governance, is selected from those who have previously served on the council, ensuring a continuity of values and principles. Interestingly, the legal system heavily leverages AI for counsel, democratizing access to justice and keeping costs minimal. Notably absent from Star City's legal framework is the concept of retributive justice, reflecting a forward-thinking approach to law and order.
Conclusion
Star City is an aspirational, yet plausibly realizable vision for a city on Mars. With its blend of technological innovation, deep understanding of human nature, and commitment to sustainability, Star City stands as a beacon for what human settlements of other worlds might look like.
Star City received the First Place Award out of 100 submissions from a panel of NASA and industry judges at the Mars Society's Colony Design Competition in 2019. For more information, please see the 20-page Star City paper, video of our 30-minute final presentation at the Mars Society convention, and additional drawings and illustrations on the project website.
Photo: Star City creators, brothers Dr. Alexandros Lordos (left) and George Lordos (right) at the 22nd Annual Mars Society Convention in Los Angeles, CA. George was the creator of the Star City concept and was responsible for the system architecture and techno-economic studies and Alexandros developed the psycho-societal elements. The concept and sketches created by George and Alexandros were developed into a complete architectural design by Delta Architects (Athens, Greece).