The week before spring break in nuvu we worked on developing the key layout of our design and we began to work on creating our first prototype using rhino and fusion.  One major design challenge we faced was that we had problems designing a perfect containment box and making it were it doesn't leak and filters correctly.  The next week, we planned to make the actual prototype and make sure that it filtrated properly along with starting to work on the pill press.

1)Jewlery on mars that isn't affected by atmosphere

2)Writing materials that work with the atmosphere on mars

3)Watch that keeps accurate time on mars

4)Medicines on mars

5)First aid kit that can be replinished by materials from mars

6)Lights that work on mars that give you good light even when on the dark side of mars

Throughout the prior week in Nuvu, Alyssa and I have strived to make an innovate a way to make medicinal needs on mars not only easier but all around more sustainable as well.  In the previous week we began looking at different ideas for projects that we can begin to start putting in motion for medicine on mars.  We continue to research and come up with ideas until we finally have come with idea that has stuck with us.  We have done light research so far and plan to follow up and do thurough research on the topic but as of now have found this.  Algae is a living organism that not only can survive harsh living conditions such as that of mars itself, but also it provides nutrients that help fend off radiation and help with other key nutrition needs in the body.  With a stable living environment we can make algae so that it will be able to replenish itself, provided that we find  a suitable water source for it to grow in.  However this is the design challenge we faced which is trying to come up with a continent system that can host this algae and be ready for quick dispense and also have an environment to help the algae survive.  The week we plan to research and find a way to make a sustainable water source for this algae.

In this past week my team and I dug further into the algae for medicinal terms concept and researched different ways we could make it happen.  The majority of what we researched and worked on for the weak however was transforming the idea of an algae shot into a containment capsule that could then turn the algae into a supplement that is easy to get into the human body.  However we ran into several challenges when it came to the design of the capsule.  First we ran into the problem of how to filter out the algae from the water like environment it would need to be contained in.  Second we ran into the problem of figuring out how to turn the algae into a ready to use supplement.  So next week we plan to work on different ways to make the algae into a supplement and then further it into harvesting it's key uses.

In the week prior during class, my team and I took a closer look into how we could not only efficiently filtrate the algae through our system both cleaning it and prepping it for its supplemental form.  Also, we dove into the concept of how we are going to make the algae into it's supplement form. We decided that in order to obtain the most efficient system all around, we will have the algae tan on top with both the algae and the water.  We will have the system where it drops the algae into the second compartment where it will be held until it can be pumped through the ion exchange filter ignored to cleanse it of any unwanted elements.  We will then suck the algae out of the tank and into a pill compressor where the algae will be made into a pill.  The key design challenges we faced were figuring out how to start working on the pill press and having chlorella grown to begin to use and test with.  In the upcoming week, we plan to make a rough model of what our actual system will be.

In the week prior in nuvu My partners and I worked vigorously to make chlorella filtration system and a chlorella pill making machine so we can help to ward off the numerous amount of excess radiation found on mars.  We not only complete our first initial model, but we also started on making the final for our project and started making a pill press for our chlorella.  The main design challenge that we faced was making our pill press on fusion and getting it so that it would be a working pill press.  Next week we hope to have a full working model that we will be able to test and make work efficiently.

The main challenges of building a colony on Mars are the lack of oxygen, water, food, heat, and gravity provided by the Red Planet. A reliable and sustainable source of protein is essential to the survival of the astronauts living in the first Martian community. The Roach Residence is a habitat for an intrusion of cockroaches that allows for humans to eat these animals, while also providing an environment where they can live and replicate for future use. Cockroaches are the perfect insect to bring to Mars as they can withstand the high levels of radiation, they are able to endure a large spectrum of temperatures, and have a high percentage of digestible protein. Our design features a two-chamber habitat that is divided between a community for the cockroaches and a collection site to gather them for eating. The community of cockroaches is split into three levels and has a honeycomb structure that increases surface area to create a comfortable living space. These levels function as drawers that can be pulled into the collection area that includes an acrylic material, fan, and funnel. We chose to use acrylic because the cockroaches struggle to climb on the slippery surface. The fan applies wind to push the cockroaches down into the funnel where they can be collected in a bowl for cooking. With the introduction of the Roach Residence to Mars, colonizers will be provided with a sustainable food source that is high in usable protein, reproduces at a fast rate, and has its own separate habitat within the larger community.