As a wise man once said: “Get your ass to Mars.” 3D Printed Habitat by French studio Fabulous is a marvel of modern engineering.

Earlier this year, NASA launched a 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, inviting folks to submit a design for homes suitable for colonising Mars. 30 incredible designs have been shortlisted and can be viewed here.

A major omission from the final 30, however, is a design by Fabulous, a design studio from France. Despite the stipulation that only US-based entries would be considered, Fabulous designed their own 3D printed Bubble House, named Sfero.

The bubble actually looks better and sturdier than many student apartments. It’s built around a central rod that digs several meters into the soil and extends robotic arms to harvest natural materials for 3D printing.

3D Printed Habitat is home away from home

There are two major qualities that make the Bubble special. First, the ability to seek out and use local materials for printing. Mars is filled with iron oxide. The Sfero can harvest oxide, fuse it together with lasers, and use it as a printing material. The arms can also seek and melt permafrost. This substance will form a protective water pocket between the dome’s internal and external shells.

The second quality that makes the Bubble noteworthy is the artistic, meaningful design. It’s obviously an incredible home, but being able to survive physically on Mars is only half the battle. Have you ever experienced home sickness? Now, imagine feeling that on Mars.

Fabulous describes the protective water layer as a “permanent psychological reminder of the main element of the mother planet – water constituting a sort of protective amniotic fluid for humans.”

Through all their incredible work, Fabulous has made it clear that they want to be part of the Mars conversation — even though they’ve been excluded on a technicality. No matter which company wins the competition, the mission to Mars still requires a collective effort… and a lot of iron oxide. {VIA: Dezeen}