Believe it or not, moon to have houses
Technology
NASA constructing moon-based residential buildings by 2024
(Web Desk) - NASA, the US space agency, has set its sights on constructing moon-based residential buildings by 2024, having awarded a $60 million contract to a technology company to bring this vision to life.
These lunar homes won't be limited to astronauts; civilians will also have the opportunity to inhabit them. The plan involves launching a 3D printer to the moon, which will utilize materials like rocks, mineral fragments, and lunar dust for construction.
NASA is collaborating with various institutions and private companies to create components such as doors, tiles, and furniture for these lunar residences.
This initiative is part of a broader long-term plan that includes astronauts landing on Mars and establishing habitats there.
It's important to note that this project is still in its early stages and subject to change over the coming years. Furthermore, NASA has not disclosed the cost for civilians interested in living on the moon.
ICON, the company entrusted with 3D printing technology for this endeavor, uses a mixture of cement, sand, and water as its printing material. The printer constructs each component individually, with the potential to complete properties in as little as 48 hours.
Since 2018, the Austin-based company has already built hundreds of homes, gaining recognition for its potential to address housing crises.
Although Raymond Clinton, deputy director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, doesn't anticipate average Americans living on the lunar surface in his lifetime, he remains hopeful for future generations. He envisions a sustainable human presence on the moon, driven by entrepreneurial imagination.
To succeed, these moon homes must be designed to withstand thermal radiation and micrometeorite impacts, according to ICON's co-founder and CEO, Jason Ballard. Testing of ICON's printer under vacuum conditions and radiation levels of space is planned at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in February.
