NASA, the American space agency, is planning to construct houses on the moon using a 3D printer, as reported by The New York Times (NYT). This ambitious endeavor comes more than 50 years after the Apollo 17 mission, and NASA intends to extend human presence on the lunar surface.
NASA’s goal is to establish lunar structures by 2040, involving the deployment of a 3D printer to the moon. The printer will utilize concrete composed of rock chips and mineral fragments from the moon’s surface, extracted from its cratered terrain.
Niki Werkheiser, NASA’s director of technology maturation, expressed optimism about this milestone. She said, “We’re at a pivotal moment, and in some ways, it feels like a dream sequence. In other ways, it feels like it was inevitable that we would get here.”
To achieve this objective, NASA is leveraging cutting-edge technology and collaborating with universities and private companies. Werkheiser emphasized the collective effort, stating, “Everyone is ready to take this step together, so if we get our core capabilities developed, there’s no reason it’s not possible.”
The 3D printer is currently undergoing testing and is scheduled to be sent to the moon in February 2024, as reported by Fortune. However, NASA must first successfully execute the Artemis 2 mission, which is set to launch next year. Artemis 2 will carry a crew of four astronauts and will follow the Artemis 1 mission, which was an uncrewed lunar mission.
The Artemis 3 mission, planned for either 2025 or 2026, will aim to land on the lunar South Pole with the assistance of SpaceX’s Starship, marking a significant step in returning humans to the moon’s surface.
This innovative project underscores NASA’s commitment to advancing space exploration and expanding humanity’s presence beyond Earth.
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