- NASA has announced plans to build a habitable lunar home open to both astronauts and civilians by 2040.
- Construction technology company ICON has signed a $60 million contract to use a giant 3D printer to build the lunar structure using lunar concrete.
- The cost of civilians’ stay in the Moon House has not yet been disclosed.
NASA has announced its ambitious plan to build a habitable lunar home not only for astronauts but also for civilians by 2040. In this context, it signed a $60 million contract with ICON, a construction technology company known for its 3D printing expertise.
Plan; It involves sending a massive 3D printer to the Moon to build the structure using lunar concrete made from rocks, mineral fragments and dust.
NASA aims to develop doors, tiles and furniture for the lunar habitat in cooperation with universities and private companies. Additionally, NASA envisions establishing a presence on Mars for future spacefarers. The cost of civilians staying in the Moon House has not yet been disclosed.
ICON, which has experience in building luxury houses around the world with 3D printing; It uses the Vulcan system, which extracts a mixture of cement, sand and water as a filament. Printer can build properties in as little as 48 hours and has already built more than 100 homes in North Austin. This technology could potentially help solve Earth’s housing crises.
ICON; It works to protect the infrastructure from thermal, radiation and micrometeorite hazards to ensure the safety of the lunar habitat. NASA will also need to create landing sites for the 3D printer located away from living spaces to reduce dust disturbances.
Although the project’s timeline depends on NASA’s lunar landing pad installation, the agency plans to launch the Artemis mission in 2024 and then return humans to the Moon in 2025 or 2026.
Having laid the foundation for this futuristic Moon life concept, NASA envisions a sustainable human existence on the Moon for future generations.
Compiled by: Eliz Canyurt
