Some of us do understand the complexities of the supply chain. I've also redesigned products to simplify manufacturing steps, and also for automated manufacture.
Lately I've been working on how to use simple commonly available bulk raw materials in 3D printing of precision parts. From NASA research reports, one of the printing methods I've been exploring should be able to use raw ground up Martian regolith to make strong 3D body structures out of. The minimum strength would be similar to low grade glass, with the likely strength being closer to volcanic glass. This is with only grinding the regolith into fine enough particles, then fusing them together with a laser. Yes, that simple. Additional steps can make it stronger, and smooth the surfaces a lot.
If it is possible to find the components to make a binder, then fiberglass structures can be made.
If components for a high temperature frothing agent can be found, then aerogels can be made from ground up and melted regolith. Aerogels are very good insulators, and likely are structurally strong when used as the core of a composite. A glass, aerogel, glass layered wall would be a good protection against Mar's cold temperatures and sand storms.
People have been doing actual experiments on how to do the engineering to colonize both the Moon and Mars for decades. Now with the data coming back from the rovers, we can refine our methods for first trials. A lot of research has already been done. My 3D printer work is all based on materials research done by NASA on mars regolith simulant, and moon regolith simulant. I need a more powerful diode pumped laser capable of continuous operation, and controlled pulse output.
Politics will only play a minor role. It's the money and initiative of private individuals and corporations that will get the ball rolling.
It was tax money that put people on the moon. A corporation is essentially a machine programmed to make profit, and if you can't make profit out of the Mars colony a corporation can't do it. I doubt there are any private individuals rich enough or interested enough to set up a colony on Mars (including Elon Musk), and as a potential Mars coloniser would you be willing to trust that a private individual would continue to support your colony for the centuries it would take just to get things started?
I expect SpaceX will be the only transportation supplier for at most two decades. Others will come in when there is money to be made.
Someone mentioned the Biosphere 2 experiment previously. That was trivial experiment in comparison but turned out to not work as intended at all. It's a shame that no one made a biosphere 3 and so on until they could get something that works though. But that also shows there isn't anyone willing to pay for even the most basic research needed to get started. How would you convince people they should care about about a colony on Mars if they are never going to see it or benefit from it. Heck, seven percent of the US population believes the earth is flat! If the majority of people here on earth can think of something else than eating, sleeping and reproducing for a while they spend the time figuring out how to steal each others resources and fighting over who's imaginary friend is better. We know how to make safe and super efficient nuclear reactors but for some reason everyone decided to develop and build the models that provide a-bomb material as a byproduct instead, and for the most part we still mainly (90%) use coal/oil/gas to power everything here on earth anyway. Good luck convincing people they should spend the necessary money and resources on colonising Mars just because nerds think it would be cool (and maybe even beneficial for humanity long term).
Biosphere 3 still had some fundamental flaws the designers weren't addressing. Hence no more funding. Neither Biosphere 1, nor Biosphere 2 were properly controlled experiments.
I expect biospheres in space will be built up from simple systems. They'll only grow plants that are known to grow under simple hydroponic situations, and they will grow all them from carefully washed and treated seeds. No introducing plants with unknown colonies of bacteria and fungus also growing on them and their roots like the Biosphere project did. Once they have robust well understood hydroponic biospheres operating, they will introduce food production fish that graze on aquatic plants, and algae. Their diets will be supplemented with the remains of the hydroponic plants that humans can't eat. Carnivorous fish will be fed the non human edible remains of the grazing fish. Don't expect to see land animals. Fish are much more efficient for pound of gain. They likely will keep the hydroponic and aquaculture biospheres separated, and all bio matter going from one to the other will be thoroughly cooked to kill any bacteria, fungus, mold, etc. Heck, they may UV irradiate the air going into and out of the biospheres to better control possible contamination. Tele-operated robots, and robots may be the only ones that tend them.
Not everybody thought going to America was a good idea. It was all paid for out of investors and people's pockets. As for readiness, some will be, and some won't. That is life. Same thing happened with ships setting sail for the Americas, settlers settling North America, settlers setting the American west, and prospectors following the gold rushes. I expect once Musk has his Mars base set up, there will be a few research institutions that set up Mars research stations. I wish I had the money to setup the first general store on Mars.
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