The Mars Colony Hackathon was a three-day workshop designed for university students interested in space, law, design, and related fields. During the event in Warsaw, participants worked in interdisciplinary teams with mentors to develop ideas for how a Martian settlement could function. Supported by the U.S. Embassy in Poland and partner organizations, the project offered practical experience, collaboration, and inspiration for young people exploring future careers in the space sector.
The Mars Colony Hackathon was a three-day, hands-on workshop held in March 2022 at the CIC in Warsaw. Organised by the U.S. Embassy and the European Space Foundation in cooperation with the Polish Space Agency and Venture Café, it was aimed at university students from disciplines such as law, geology, architecture, design and culture. Working in interdisciplinary teams with expert mentors, participants explored practical and human-centred ideas for creating a self-sustaining colony on Mars – from choosing a location and ensuring access to resources to designing living spaces and considering cultural, economic and legal systems.
During the workshop, 25 students developed five original visions of Martian colonies: IGNIS, MARIS, MONADA, M.O.D. and West Coast Colony. Each team addressed not only technical and environmental challenges such as radiation, temperature and resource scarcity but also social and cultural aspects – governance, mental health, sustainability, and the values that could shape future off-Earth societies. The concepts, presented at the end of the hackathon, highlighted how imagining life on Mars can also inspire new perspectives on life on Earth. The winning team, MONADA, proposed a modular, self-sufficient settlement designed as a network of interconnected units reflecting both independence and community.
