Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Credit: ESA/LEGO
Transporting materials to the moon is costly, making it crucial to utilize lunar resources for building future habitats. Every gram taken from the moon reduces the burden of lifting it from Earth.
Constructing lunar habitats with moon materials remains untested. Earth-based practices provide limited insights into lunar construction methods.
Scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) are experimenting with creating building materials from space dust, inspired by LEGO bricks, to address this challenge.
Credit: NASA
ESA’s "space bricks" are not made from actual moon dust due to its scarcity and scientific value. Instead, they use a simulant derived from a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite found in Northwest Africa.
Using 3D printing technology, ESA scientists shaped the meteorite dust into bricks resembling classic 2x4 LEGOs. These bricks are rougher than LEGOs but can stack and be assembled into structures similarly.
Credit: ESA via SWNS
The space bricks allow scientists to test various construction techniques and understand which methods work best with the available material, providing valuable insights for future lunar building projects.
"Nobody has built a structure on the moon, so it was great to have the flexibility to try out all kinds of designs and building techniques with our space bricks,” said Aidan Cowley, ESA Science Officer, highlighting the dual benefits of fun and scientific exploration.
Credit: ESA
These experiments with space bricks help scientists simulate and refine the construction processes that may eventually be used on the moon, ensuring they are prepared for the unique challenges of the lunar environment.
The development of space bricks and the knowledge gained from their use could play a crucial role in the design and construction of sustainable lunar habitats, paving the way for long-term human presence on the moon.