3D-printing a lunar base

Could astronauts one day be printing rather than building a base on the Moon? In 2013 ESA, working with industrial partners, proved that 3D printing using lunar material was feasible in principle. Since then, work continues to investigate the technique. The shielding against radiation provided by a 3D-printed block of simulated lunar regolith was measured, providing important inputs for next-stage designs... Soon the Agency is due to investigate another lunar 3D printing method, harnessing concentrated sunlight to melt regolith rather than using a binding liquid.

But how might lunar 3D printing one day be used in practice? Foster+Partners, contributing architectural concepts for the original study, put together this outline of a hypothetical mission to 3D-print an entire a lunar base, illustrating the design factors that steered them in their work. The rim of Shackleton Crater at the lunar south pole was chosen for the base location. The Moon’s rotation is such that the Sun only grazes its poles at low angles. The result is a near-constant ‘peak of eternal light’ along the rim of Shackleton Crater, beside regions of permanent shadow. Building in the vicinity of such a site would offer plentiful solar power, and relief from the extremes of heat and cold found across the rest of the Moon.

In reality any lunar base remains firmly on the drawing board, but each small step forward in research makes future lunar colonisation a little more feasible. In October 2014 more than 350 experts came together for a two-day Additive Manufacturing for Space Applications workshop at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. They discussed the potential of 3D printing – also known as Additive Manufacturing – to transform the way the space industry operates and begin preparing common standards for its use.

Credit: Foster+Partners

[EuropeanSpaceAgency]

Could astronauts one day be printing rather than building a base on the Moon?


#lunar    #3Dprinting  

[rangelebert]

That's amazing! It's the first time i hear a top regonized space agency talking about that level of details about what this kind of mission will looks like. It makes me feel that they know everything what to do already, it's just a question to set the left remaining technology (not that long until then) and launch it.

[foxythepiratefox]

E.S.A PLEASE DO IT, JUST DO IT, DON'T LET THIS DREAM BE A DREAM.

[blindekillen]

I'm so glad I subbed to this channel. :)

[CaptRexu]

Really awesome! I would love to see this happpening in the near future!

[lt]

Wow, that's very impressive... and so creative! :D

[InkubusGames]

I am speechless. Amazing idea and concept. 

[markusofficial]

I soooo want this to actually get real within the next 10-20 years!

[jetstream]

For the first time in a long time, I see hope for a colony on the moon.

[terradeamon]

Looks good, love to see some prototyping of this done

[geronimowilliamson]

Then if possible build an underground facility

[ZemplinTemplar]

Nice concept, at any rate. :-) A "regolith igloo"-style mini base for the early days of long-term exploration and colonisation is a rather timeless design, so I'm glad ESA and Foster + Partners went for an updated version of the idea. While this is obviously maybe even decades away and would cost a lot, it's good to have some ideas fermenting in the meantime.

[Mickorec]

I love the clean animation approach used in this video. It is kinda the route I hope UI will take in the near future.

Kinda like am overlay of a minimalistic augmented reality of uncompromising textual data and infographic. Right on top of a video feed or animation eye candy in the background. Or you know, live images from behind the transparent heads up display. Requiring virtually no learning curves.

You know, like| Your UI is Your AR is Your AI.

[cobralord]

Its good to see your more committed to manned space exploration unlike NASA, I hope you succeed. With no delays and most importantly no cancellations

[AlexBastuba]

I really hope NASA and ESA team up to explore the rest of our solar system and beyond...

[djackchocoa]

Very impresive & Superior.. niceee
@-@

[Nomiboy]

our governments should stop investing on weapons and instead invest more in science.

[darklittlepeople]

this might actually happen soon - so exciting !

[NeonsStyleHD]

What a fucking brilliant idea. Well done, hope to see it done someday.

[rseto]

Mondbasis aus dem 3D-Drucker. Bisher Fiktion, die Idee macht aber einen guten Eindruck! Schutz vor Kälte und Hitze. Höhlen gibt es ja auch seit Ewigkeiten auf der Erde.