Abstract Human arrival on Mars is one of the most ambitious goals of the various space agencies. Although interest in the planet may appear to be recent, there is ample evidence to show that mankind turned its attention to Mars several centuries ago. However, it was not until the dawn of the space age that this interest shifted from mere speculation to a growing body of scientific and technical information. Unlike Earth, Mars is a planet whose current conditions are not suitable for life of any kind. The main aspects that condition the Martian environment, such as the atmosphere, temperature, radiation and soil, will be briefly analysed. The house of the first inhabitants of the red planet must meet a series of basic requirements, including simplicity, strength and ensuring adequate conditions of habitability and psychological well-being. A conceptual habitat design based on a structure manufactured entirely on Earth is presented. One of the most important challenges engineers of the future will face in the event of a human arrival on Mars is the thermal control of houses. Unlike Earth, the average temperature on Mars is around $-$60 °C, which makes it essential to use very precise thermal control techniques. A theoretical thermal analysis of the designed base will be carried out, checking the influence of a set of parameters, and a particular case will be performed with ESATAN software (a leading tool in the European space sector for ESA missions) together with a sensibility analysis to the thermal model main parameters. The assessment of the location and the daily temperature variation has been analysed to obtain the best thermal criteria for time–space selection of the base. The results showed the relevance of the insulation of the module with respect to the Mars ground. A thermal insulation method should be implemented in order to ensure the inhabitants’ well-being.

Highlights • A conceptual design of a Mars human base is proposed. • Base’s thermal performance is assessed. • Climatic zone ’tropical’ is the most promising to construct the base. • Six people could stay 500 days in Mars. • The radiation and thermal insulation are fundamental to maintain comfort. • Heating power needed has been reduced by optimization.