Lunar soil machine developed to build bricks using sunlight
10 days ago
- #solar-3D-printing
- #space-technology
- #lunar-construction
- Developed by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), the system is a solar-powered 3D printer for lunar construction.
- Uses a parabolic reflector and fiber optics to concentrate solar heat, melting lunar regolith at over 1,300°C.
- Produces dense, robust bricks from pure lunar soil, suitable for shelters, roads, and platforms.
- Two-year R&D addressed challenges like variable soil composition and solar energy transmission.
- Bricks act as protective layers over pressure-retaining habitat modules, not standalone structures.
- Future plans include modular construction, automated robots, and validation under lunar conditions.
- Supports China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project, targeting a 2035 lunar base.
- Astronauts will test simulated lunar bricks in space in 2024 to assess durability and shielding.