Building Mars Colonies, on Earth

Space Startup Spotlight: Interstellar Lab

Before humanity can build structures capable of withstanding the harsh conditions on the surface of Mars, we must first learn how to do it on Earth. Now a company called Interstellar Lab says that it is doing just that — building habitats in the desert that may one-day house people on distant worlds.

The company is the brainchild of the enigmatic Barbara Belvisi, a woman who successfully launched her own Paris incubator at the age of 27. Now her passion is to create what Interstellar Labs calls “closed-loop villages” — entirely self-sufficient facilities capable of supporting human life indefinitely on another world.

Here’s a video where she explains her raison d’etre. You should totally watch it.

The task she has set for herself is considerable. The closest thing we have right now to a closed-loop habitat for humans is the International Space Station — and that requires regular replenishment from SpaceX and the Soyuz. Being so much further from Earth, the new habitat will need to be orders of magnitude more self-reliant. It must be able to support life unassisted during the two-year launch window hiatus — the time when Mars is too far away to launch resupply rockets.

Even in the context of NewSpace, the technology that Barbara and her team want to develop is impressive. It’s not just about rocket physics: Interstellar Lab says that it also needs to master planetary sciences, anthropology, psychology, biochemistry, agriculture, and geophysics if it wants to achieve its mission. The real difficulty will be ensuring that all the systems work together in a way that simulates the habitat here on Earth.

The company is currently recruiting people with expertise in HVAC systems, plant growth, and building mechanical structures on Mars.

You can learn more about Interstellar Lab at their website and through their social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter & YouTube

“Space Startup Spotlight” is a new, regularly-scheduled, profile of an up-and-coming space startup from around the world by NewSpace Hub.

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