Mars Base Zero

612 sq ft of planted area, is that enough to keep a person alive on Mars, with its reduced solar intensity? Why can't we use similar technology to keep people well fed on Earth?

Selvaraj.

From: alaskan_riches
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 1:03 PM
Subject: [spacesettlers] Mars Base Zero

25 days ago I walked into Mars Base Zero and shut the
door. I haven't been out since.

This might not be so interesting except for the fact I
didn't bring any food with me. But I have been eating
regularly, thanks to the fact that this facility is
more greenhouse than anything else. My diet is mostly
potatoes (to the tune of 3-4 pounds a day!), but
includes a lot of other things such as tomatoes,
carrots, beets, lettuce, cabbage, turnips, onions,
etc.

This building is 24' by 44' and includes a small
apartment (8 feet wide and 16 feet long, with a loft).
When I moved in there was around 612 square feet
planted. More than half of that was in potatoes.
Since then I've eaten about half the potatoes (nearly
60 pounds).

I'd welcome questions, comments, etc.

Ray C.
Mars Base Zero inhabitant