How much did NASA spend on 3D printing the moon base?

Everything indicates that humanity is almost ready for a long stay in this country the moon. First mission Artemis He is currently a successful presenter Orion’s ship In places where humanity has never gone. Although it was mentioned some time ago that pot Plans to build bases They confirmed today that they will pay for the satellite 57.2 million USD for that 3D printing.

NASA chose it Icon Develop everything that is necessary. Your task is to research and develop construction techniques that will allow you to build rooms, roads and paths using 3D printing. It’s hard work, and because of the conditions on the Moon, it’s necessary to work with basic physics that the construction world isn’t used to.

the contract concluded between pot and Icon It will last until 2028, the agency said on Tuesday. The company, in turn, is based in Austin, Texas, and has previously worked on projects based on extraterrestrial bodies. One of them was A “Habitat” 158 square meters based on Mars. called Mars Dune AlphaAnd NASA will use it in the Project Crew Health and Performance Analog (CHAPEA) mission starting in 2023.

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The Artemis mission could have 3D printed lunar stations

As Infobae has already pointed out in other articles, the Artemis Project is the first long-term attempt to transform humanity into an interplanetary species. Thus, missions to the moon will act as a “catapult” that will take us to distant places such as the long-awaited Mars. In fact, NASA explains this on their website.

“To explore other worlds, we need innovative new technologies adapted to these environments and our exploration needs,” he explained. Nicky WerkheiserDirector of Technology Maturation for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Director.

“Advancing this development with our trading partners will create the capabilities we need for future missions,” he added.

Project Olympus ICON has several layers. This is a conceptual construction system that would allow the first settlements on the Moon (and in the future also on Mars) to be established with the available resources. Of course, we’re talking about regolith, the name given to small rocks and dust accumulated on the surface of the moon, which could become the material for NASA’s future interplanetary habitats. regolith

ICON is preparing for Earth

On the other hand, ICON is already making a career here on Earth in the world of construction. They were responsible for construction The first 3D printed houses in the USA. Now they take you to new worlds and completely different situations.

to develop technology A necessary construct, ICON works with lunar regoliths returned by flybys Apollo. In addition, it is known that NASA is investigating the conditions of 3D printing Moon’s gravity. They can also use material that prevents headaches: Dust brick 3D printed mol.

According to the space agency, humans should be able to work on the moon by 2030, which they proposed after the launch of Artemis I. However, the date may seem very close, and we are already used to NASA’s plans being delayed.

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