3D-Printing a lunar base

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According to European Space Agency, ESA, “Could astronauts one day be printing rather than building a base on the Moon? In 2013 ESA, working with industrial partners, proved that 3D printing using lunar material was feasible in principle. Since then, work continues to investigate the technique. The shielding against radiation provided by a 3D-printed block of simulated lunar regolith was measured, providing important inputs for next-stage designs.”
According to ESA(Now),” astronaut Luca Parmitano has arrived on the International Space Station following a six-hour flight in the Russian Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft alongside NASA astronaut Drew Morgan and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov.”

From comments,

Four years ago

This is all good, except the “3d printing material” should be the regolith itself melted by focused solar energy. This way, the printers could print an inexhaustible™ supply of infrastructure from roads to sinks to rail-launch systems. You would want one specialized printer to print things that can’t be made from regolith. (control circuits, actuators, etc.)

I hope NASA and ESA team up to explore the rest of our solar system and beyond.

Three Years ago
Excellent, would be able to put an observatory on the moon and make it a refuel station for further travel and a backup for rescue if needed also can make a shipbuilding/repair station safer so launches don’t have to fight the gravity and atmosphere burn up, can also make a relay station put a full array of satellites on the moon.
It would be simpler and cheaper to ship high explosives to the moon and use them to excavate a cylindrical chamber into the side of a large crater (like building a tunnel on Earth) and then seal off the end, pressurize, and occupy. Much roomier, more protection from radiation and meteor impacts. This 3-D printer idea is dull and uninspiring.
This is potentially great news. I hope one day we can live in space or on the moon.

Now
2019: HASSEL wants to print a 3D Mars base.

Why 3D printing could be key to a Moon base, ESA’s Purpose, MEET ASTRONAUT LUCA PARMITANO

7 thoughts on “3D-Printing a lunar base

    lunasmithart said:
    July 27, 2019 at 4:57 am

    It is mind-blowing how fast we are progressing in technology. It will be awesome to have an observatory on the Moon. I hope that 3D printing will make that happened before I will die.

    Craig White said:
    July 27, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    We should be looking at solving issue’s closer, to home..

    If the world in which has sustained life, with ease all these year’s, isn’t this enough..

    We need to give ourselves a shake and leave outer space in outer space..

    We already live on the top 3 planets in the universe..

    The sun the moon and also our earth..

    These 3 planets create sustainable life, as we no..

    Let’s protect humanity and life as we no.. 😉👍🙏💙

    doublegenealogytheadoptionwitness said:
    July 29, 2019 at 10:37 am

    Your articles are extremely interesting and important. Wish the font were larger, or darker.

    beswayedpositively said:
    July 29, 2019 at 11:47 pm

    The future looks bright indeed

    babl responded:
    July 31, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    Thank you so much for telling us:) Please check if it is fine now and if you don’t mind kindly let us know. Have a nice time.

    doublegenealogytheadoptionwitness said:
    August 2, 2019 at 11:03 am

    The larger font is excellent! Thanks SO much for listening. I’m impressed!

    babl responded:
    August 2, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    Thank you so much for telling me. We really appreciate it. In SV3DPrinter’s success, Your comments are the biggest thing :)

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