[tlb]

Yes, for example taking off or landing a rocket on the surface blasts particles of sand out sideways at 1000s of m/s. The particles can fly in the thin atmosphere for kilometers and sandblast everything. Our intuitions about how far and fast tiny things can fly are only true in an atmosphere of similar density.

[Recurecur]

Your intuition about how far sand particles can fly at high velocity in the Martian atmosphere is way off base…

[ActorNightly]

While he is exaggerating a bit, the problem still remains - dust can be deadly to equipment because the grains will move way faster. You also have the problem of dust particles colliding and becoming charged with nothing to dump the charge to. A human habitat has to hold positive air pressure, which means that it has to generate its oxygen or get it from the atmosphere.

If we don't have the experience of buildings stuff on earth where we can test things, we sure as shit not gonna be able to do it on Mars.