NASA Enables Construction Technology for Moon and Mars Exploration
15 hours ago
- #Space Construction
- #NASA
- #3D Printing
- NASA is developing in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technologies for sustainable human presence on the Moon and Mars.
- The Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project explores large-scale robotic 3D printing for extraterrestrial construction.
- Regolith (lunar and Martian surface material) is used as a primary building material, reducing the need to transport materials from Earth.
- Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis developed Contour Crafting, a 3D printing technique for building monolithic structures like radiation shielding and landing pads.
- Khoshnevis also created selective separation sintering, an energy-efficient 3D printing method for precise hardware production in space.
- ICON, a NASA partner, uses 3D printing for Earth-based housing and is developing the Olympus system for lunar and Martian construction.
- ICON's Laser Vitreous Multi-material Transformation technique melts regolith to form durable ceramic-like structures.
- NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge led to the creation of Mars Dune Alpha, a simulated Martian habitat prototype.
- ICON's Duneflow experiment tested lunar regolith behavior in simulated lunar gravity aboard a Blue Origin rocket.