A golden bouncy house popped up by the docks in Bristol, England. This inflatable domicile is the result of the combined input from artists, architects, scientists, and engineers. Their mission: to show what home life might look like on Mars.

Artists Ella Good and Nicki Kent started the project seven years ago. They thought a few people might help them build something in their backyard. But the project took off, drawing experts from multiple fields.

They considered every aspect of human survival on Mars. Where would you acquire building materials? How would you generate electricity? What about food?

“What might a Martian toothbrush look like?” asks Good. “What would you have for breakfast on Mars? How would you wash your clothes?”

Good and Kent want their Martian house to go beyond mere survival. They want to show how humans might live good, comfortable lives on Mars.

The artists received help from Hugh Broughton Architects, a group that designs buildings in extreme environments such as Antarctica. The Martian atmosphere contains toxic particles, so they had to make their house airtight. It also must withstand Martian temperatures, which drop to -80° Fahrenheit.

On Mars, the house would extend underground into vacant lava tubes: large caverns scientists believe were created by fast-moving lava. There you would find bedrooms and bathrooms. This subterranean level also holds essential life-support systems.

Above ground, inflatable walls enclose the living room. It contains a hydroponic garden for growing healthy food.

The house might look bouncy, but don’t try jumping off those soft-looking walls. This inflatable structure is designed to be filled with concrete made of a mix of water and Martian dirt.

Some Mars enthusiasts, like SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, believe climate change will render Earth uninhabitable, leaving humans in search of a new home. They see the Red Planet as an escape hatch.

We remember that God promises that seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease as long as Earth remains. (Genesis 8:22) But He also calls His people to care for their planet. When we trust His promise, we can fulfill that mission without anxiety. But nothing in scripture seems to prohibit exploration into the greater solar system, beyond our own planet.

Good and Kent want their Mars house to make people think about life on Earth. On Mars, humans would need to think twice before wasting resources. They would rely on their neighbors for everything. When something breaks, they would need to fix it themselves. Those disciplines can help humans live more sustainable lives right now on Earth.

Why? Humans can trust God to sustain the world, but imagining life on other planets might help us live better here and now.