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I actually emailed someone from NASA about it, and he actually said that the current plan for their first base on Mars is similar to what I described, which felt really good because it's obviously a good idea if NASA scientists thought of it too

There are just too many problems for the first bases to be on the surface, since there's the issues of dust storms causing damage to equipment (not flipping things over or stuff obviously, but still) as well as the nasty radiation. Being underground means you have literally tons of mass shielding, so you're safe from the radiation and dust storms. There would certainly need to be changes in the design for a first colony if we're talking about a full fallout Vault, but the principle could/should be the same. For example, you would obviously make it self-sustaining, ie have a steady power source (probably geothermal energy, or at least that's the current NASA plan from what I've read of their most recent research papers), water (which they could get both from the permafrost and the water locked up in minerals), and they could simply have a nursery area where they grow their food. They could build it in sections as necessary, so that they had somewhere to live while they worked on the next segment.

My thought would be to figure out exactly how much materials you'd need to create the smallest possible Vault-type settlement that would meet the requirements of all those who would be there. Obviously since this is real life, if there is an alternative type of material or a design change that would make things a lot easier, that would be fine. Once that is figured out, we could develop and send robots out to the areas to work on getting the necessary materials from Mars, and to assemble as much of the base as possible in preparation for the first human crew's arrival. The humans are going to have a hab-module with them anyways, so they can use that as a temporary home until the base is finished.

A good way to work on expanding the base would be to start a 'real estate' program, where someone can, like in Fallout, 'buy' a place in the facility. The difference in this case would be that they would be paying a fee equal to the cost of building an additional unit that would have what they need (ie bathroom, bed, etc.), as well as labor costs for assembling it.

I really would love to build a model of this hypothetical facility thing, partially just for kicks but it's also possible that I might be on to something here If anyone is interested, let me know

I am interested

I am not a 3d modeler however, but I am will to assist in any way possible.

Well, what I really could use right now is someone to help me come up with a sort of schematic type thing - I don't really know much about the Vault's structure beyond what you can see from inside, so coming up with that is kinda important. I could do most of the modeling myself, though it would certainly be easier if I could have more hands working on it.

I am game for that, my main interest in Fallout is the lore so I know quite a bit about Vaults.

I do vector art so I will start working on it, where should I send the drawing?

Cider, I did not mean a Vault in the sense of being exactly LIKE a Fallout 4 Vault, I simply meant the design itself was ideal for a potential settlement. Griffin, I certainly agree with you to a large extent, though I will say that the guy from NASA that I emailed about my idea (who even said that my idea was a pretty good one and that it is sort of what the general plan is) said that they are going to be trying to use robots to do a lot of the work at least in the initial stages. I think the main thing is getting the first basic, bare-bones area that can house, feed, and provide water for the first few people to get there, and then those people can do any tasks that the robots are unable to do (or even just control the robots from a shorter distance to avoid comms delay due to distance). You send the robots first to actually find and produce construction materials, which will then be ready for the people when they first arrive. Though a big problem with having people do the work is the fact that even walking in a space suit is extremely strenuous, so construction labor would be even harder.

If you give the robot commands such as "find these materials and make them into this", they can simply continue with that task for a long period of time, since you don't necessarily have to micromanage them. If they preform the same task for many years, you only have to send that command for them to start (and perhaps some other tasks on occasion as needed), and then they just go on their own without constant communication required.

The good thing about a subterranean settlement on Mars or the moon is that you don't need to excavate tunnels - you simply build inside the lava tubes there. You send the robots a few years before to make construction materials at the very least, then the first astronauts get there, and use those materials to make the final product (so to speak).

Key thing design-wise is to avoid adhering too tightly to a Fallout Vault, though it is great inspiration. When making this model, I'm using that as a template but I know that there will be plenty of areas where I would need to make changes to the design in order to account for the different purpose and availability of resources.