NASA gives ICON millions for huge 3D printer on the moon

The American ICON has been awarded a small $ 60 million from NASA to develop Project Olympus, a special lunar 3D printer. The printer is shaped like a large spider, but there are other parts of the system as well.

3D printer ideal for the moon

NASA has big plans for the moon, and part of that is a lunar base. The bad news is that it is very expensive to bring all the materials for this from Earth. The good news is that the moon contains excellent ready-made building material, namely regolith (lunar dust). In principle, it is possible to use a 3D printer to build thick structures that protect the inhabitants of the moon against cosmic rays and the vacuum. Also, of course, a landing site, roads and the like are needed.

ICON, specialist in 3D printing for construction

The Texas company Icon has already gained a lot of fame for the large 3D printed structures they have built. They do this with the help of giant 3D printers of many meters in size, with which you can, for example, print an entire house in a few days. A 3D printer is ideal for the moon, because no construction workers are needed, the moon is full of building material and really all structures that are technically possible can be realized quite easily.

Sintering lunar dust together

3D printers for home construction on Earth usually work with a mixture of curing concrete. 3D printers on the moon use a slightly different system. Regolith, the moon dust, can be sintered together quite easily using lasers. And there is enough energy for those lasers on the moon, in the form of sunlight. After all, during the period when it is daytime on the moon, there is continuous sunlight for two weeks, without clouds.

Not only the moon, but also Mars must become habitable for humans with the help of a similar printer.