NASA has ambitious Moon goals. On top of putting humans back on the Moon for the first time in 50 years, the space agency aims to erect dwellings there by 2040.
That's a big jump from putting human boots on the Moon this decade, and since 2040 is less than 20 years away, NASA will need to move quickly to make this happen.
The proposal involves using lunar dust to make concrete for a 3D printer to build Moon dwellings. The New York Times reported the plans.
NASA isn't restricted to building dwellings on the moon. The space agency reportedly wants civilians to live there safely.
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NASA is working with Austin-based 3D-printing home firm ICON to make this possible. The startup earned its first NASA funding in 2020 and $60 million in 2022 to advance space-based construction.
Similar schemes to use Moon materials to build structures on Mars have been proposed before. A reliable approach to employ local materials and dust could make Moon home construction more feasible and affordable.
NASA calls its return to the Moon Artemis, and Artemis III will be the first. For this home idea, the agency will launch a 3D printer to the Moon and create houses layer by layer.
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