Odds are, you didn't make it onto the shortlist of astro-tourists heading on a space vacation with Virgin Galactic or SpaceX in the not-too-distant future. But you can still travel to Mars—or at least, pretend to—thanks to a new cabin in New York's Hudson Valley.
Next spring, the two-story Tera cabin will be 3D-printed on site in upstate New York. It will be made from a biopolymer basalt composite that's made from recyclable corn and sugar cane waste, according to Curbed. That means that scientists could theoretically grow corn and sugar on Mars, and use the waste to create the composite. Stronger than concrete, the material and Tera cabin are the second generation of a Mars-habitat experiment by "multi-planetary architectural and technology design agency" AI SpaceFactory. Tera's predecessor is Marsha, a NASA-award-winning cylindrical pod with a magnificent pun of a name. Intended to be 3D-printed using natural materials found on Mars itself, Marsha was a prototype for the astronauts and scientists who may eventually live on the Red Planet.
Tera, on the other hand, took Marsha's framework and made it a little more enjoyable for travelers on Earth, with more diamond-shaped windows to let in the Hudson River views. It also has the creature comforts you'd expect in a rental cabin, like a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping loft, and a 3D-printed patio (granted this one is also 3D-printed). You'll be able to use the on-site telescope to enjoy the stars, unclouded by New York City's light pollution. The cabin will also have additional eco-friendly amenities, like graywater recycling (using bath and shower water to irrigate the surrounding land). Eventually, the 3D-printed exterior will be composted and recycled.
If this sounds out of this world, you can still book nights through Tera's Indiegogo campaign. Starting at $175 a night, they're selling out fast—much faster than we'll actually get humans to Mars.
