Just as an update, I just watched in the same series of programmes Space Pioneer: Mars...
Not only was it a good source of info,.. but it was also remarkable simular as Hyperkat games Mars sims and the setup even looked just like the demo! Infact they used same technology and set up to explain how they would go there and set up a base!
The programme tried to explain how humans could set up a base, live and ultimatally terraform- it seems burrowing into the planets surface, and/or producing arch shaped bricks/blocks (from silicas and sands) to produce vaults, which are then covered in layers of regloth that humans could live and as protection to solar flares
Interestingly, the programme suggested the most problematic issues would be the micro fine dust and unless protected and/or cleaned equipment would grind too a halt.
Maybe Hyperkats Mars sims could in the future feature this problem, and introduce a cleaning/maintenace system for example- compressed air/gasses gun to blast surfaces clean, ionised/electrostatic charged equipment to repell micro dust. Material technolgy including teflon like coatings so the dust cant stick.
Particular attention was paid to the colonists EVA suits, and how dust would impair movement of joints and damage filters etc,causing the suit to fail or run inefficently if not cleaned- a possible solution could be to use simular functions as above (teflon material, electrostatic charge etc) and maybe if combined with a blast area when entering a airlock to clean off any dust.
The programme also described how EVA suits are attached to the extenal walls of HAB/LSSU and colonists enter the suits from inside the HAB airlock, seal off an airlock door behind them and detach suits from housing- this is done so the EVA suits never have to enter the living areas to spread dust.. clever stuff but actually in planning for the 2020 Moon missions.
And with solar flares being the other major issues it was said that using far off "orbiting" solar flare decectors (these craft/satterlites are placed a long long way off, balanced between the gravitational pull of the sun and Mars directly and "east and west" of Mars)
These craft would detect the light from a solar flare and transmit a warning of the folowing dangerous radiation (which travels slower).
Using such a dectecting system, pepole on Mars would get 16mins warning to get to safety from a direct flare, and 6 mins to get to safety from an interdirectional solar flare (from left or right)... this would be a real nice feature to try to implement into the sims...
possibly to make it "easier" the HABS, or LSSU's could have a "magnetic field" (switched on uses power) and/or lead (? or another radiation absobing material) lined to give protection,.. it would be a tense time to recive a audio warning of inpending flare, and interesting to watch everyone drop everything and speed back to the safety of a HAB/LSSU..
pepole caught out for a short time could be "treated" with potsassium idone (?)etc (medical supplies) to counter effects maybe?
