Recently, several serious companies have been developing lunar habitat projects. However, the idea of a dwelling on Earth’s natural satellite originated at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
To construct an extraterrestrial residential building, specialists from the management have chosen technology 3D printing. In search of a contractor, NASA chose the construction company ICON from Texas. It is known for its printed terrestrial structures. In Austin, the company has built a hundred luxury homes using its innovative technology.
The space agency has allocated 60 million dollars for the construction of lunar housing. This building will not only accommodate astronauts; ordinary people will also be able to rent apartments here. However, NASA has not yet disclosed how much travelers will have to pay for a trip to Earth’s natural satellite and for staying in the lunar residence.
A fairy tale will become reality.
Ambitious builders promised that their printer can print such real estate in just 48 hours, the publication reported. Daily Mail .
At the same time, the authors of the idea from NASA warned that the plan is still in a “very early stage.” Of course, there are sketches from 2022 that give an idea of what the house on the Moon might look like. However, the designs may change several more times.
The biggest problem of the project lies in transporting a giant to the Moon. 3D printer that will print a concrete house. First and foremost – in the establishment of landing pads for rockets that will deliver construction equipment to the surface of the Earth’s satellite.
Concrete, by the way, will be made from local stones and dust. While constructing the dwelling, the printer will layer a thick strip of lunar building material. All components of the house, including the walls and roof, will be printed separately. Then they will be assembled together.
At the same time, NASA has signed agreements with universities and private companies for the production of doors, tiles, and furniture for the home.
ICON specialists are already working on ensuring that lunar housing protects its residents as effectively as possible from high temperatures, radiation, and meteoroids. The company also plans to test its printer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in February next year. Builders will observe how the system performs under vacuum conditions and cosmic radiation.
By the way, in 2024, NASA will launch the “Artemis-2” mission, during which a quartet of astronauts will travel around. Month In 2025 (or 2026), during the Artemis 3 mission, the agency plans to land astronauts on the Moon.