GabySeveral companies are developing lunar habitat projects, but the idea of a moon dwelling originated at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
To build an extraterrestrial residence, NASA has chosen 3D-printing technology. To find a contractor, the agency selected ICON, a construction company from Texas known for its printed structures. In Austin, ICON has built around 100 luxury homes using its technology.
The space agency has allocated $60 million for construction of the lunar housing. The building won’t just house astronauts—ordinary people could also rent apartments there. NASA has not yet disclosed how much travelers would have to pay to travel to the Moon or to stay in the lunar residence.
A fairy tale will become reality
The builders say their printer can produce a house like that in just 48 hours, the Daily Mail reported.
NASA cautioned that the plan is still in a “very early stage.” There are sketches from 2022 that show what a moon house might look like, but the designs could change several more times.
The biggest challenge is transporting a giant 3D printer to the Moon. First and foremost, that requires establishing landing pads for rockets that will deliver construction equipment to the lunar surface.
The concrete will be made from lunar regolith — the local rocks and dust. During construction, the printer will lay down thick layers of that lunar building material. All components of the house, including the walls and the roof, will be printed separately and then assembled together.
NASA has signed agreements with universities and private companies to produce doors, tiles, and furniture for the house.
ICON specialists are already working to ensure the lunar housing protects residents from extreme temperatures, radiation, and micrometeoroids. The company also plans to test its printer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in February next year to observe how the system performs under vacuum conditions and cosmic radiation.
In 2024, NASA will launch the “Artemis II” mission, which will send four astronauts around the Moon. In 2025 (or 2026), during the Artemis III mission, the agency plans to land astronauts on the Moon.
