Mission Scenarios

mars-sim borrows from a variant form of the Mars Direct plan proposed by Zubrin and Baker in 1990s. Select ‘New Sim’ in the Main Menu will take you to the Simulation Configuration Editor.

By default, you are presented with two settlements, namely a Mars Direct Base (Phase 1) with 4 settlers and an Alpha Base (Phase 4) with 24 settlers. You are free to reconfigure this template.

In version 3.1.0, users may designate a space agency to sponsor each settlement. The names of the settler will be auto-generated to suit his/her national origin, based on the space agency chosen.

In terms of resupply mission, for a Mars Direct Base Phase 1, the built-in resupply schedule will send one new mission each Martian year (668 or 669 sols) for the next 3 years to replenish existing settlements. Using Resupply Tool, users can tweak the launch/arrival date, the number of settlers and the type/ quantity of supplies (including buildings, equipment, vehicles, resources, and parts).

(Image from the Simulation Configuration Editor)

(Image from the Crew Editor)