I am guessing using things like carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes or honeycomb based structures (with 'filler' material in the honeycomb spaces?) won't be of much help in terms of getting as much structural strength as possible for as little refined/processed material as possible.
At least stuff like the Lunar Electric Rover/Space Exploration Vehicle based design being made of many 3D printed parts will at least mean there will be an option for flexible vehicle designs, even if they might not be suited for any serious heavy duty work.
Speaking of which, an interesting article on that subject.
http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/1686-mars-rover-runs-on-3d-printed-parts.htmlCould materials like ABS or PCABS (whatever those are) or polycarbonate be something that could be made/produced on Mars? Or if there might otherwise be Mars produced equivalents of said materials useful for 3D printing? Such as algae based plastics could be used for 3D printing?
If something like ceramet (proper term for metal fused into ceramic?) were possible, would it also be possible to use some sort of plastic/polymer based material as a binding agent for some sort of ceramic that is powdered, mixed with the polymer and then pressed/cooked into its final form?
I still have to think about the potential of what all could be shipped to Mars if the Constellation project were a major aspect for the in game Mars colonization effort. (even if just for the initial main base setup and so have little direct affect on what players can do).
Like if the cargo landers (even smaller ones) could be made of useful materials that could be later tore down and recycled for said materials.
Edit:
For the hydrogen/oxygen rocket idea. It was not for propulsion, but as an alternative for heating up a smelter system, so 'propulsion' is not the goal, heat is. That is why I was talking about re-capturing the exhaust, since I heard the 'waste' from a liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen rocket is supposed to be water.
On the subject of rocket engines. Would it be possible for a lander to have, or include, engines that use liquid hydrogen/oxygen? So that they could be refueled using locally produced hydrogen/oxygen? To either be used to help ship smaller payloads (samples and such) back to Earth (or to get them into orbit to meet up with a craft heading back to Earth), or to otherwise 'remove and reuse' said rocket motors to make a basic rocket to deploy a small payload like a Mars made satellite into orbit?