Building components for an outpost on the Lunar soil by means of a novel 3D printing technology |
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| Institution: | 1. Alta SpA, via A. Gherardesca 5, 56123 Pisa, Italy;2. Monolite Ltd., 101 Wardour Street, W1F 0UN, London, UK;3. Foster+Partners, Riverside, 22 Hester Road, SW11 4AN, London, UK;4. Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Istituto TeCIP, Laboratorio PERCRO, via Alamanni 13D, 56010 San Giuliano Terme, Pisa, Italy;5. ESA European Space Research and Technology Centre, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands;1. Louisiana Tech University Institute for Micromanufacturing, 911 Hergot Ave, Ruston, LA 71270, USA;2. Louisiana Tech University Center for Applied Physics, 599 Dan Reneau Dr, Ruston, LA 71270, USA;3. Materials Engineering School, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia;4. M L Smith Jr LLC, 2338 Louisiana 33, Ruston, LA 71270, USA;1. School of Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK;2. School of Engineering and Innovation, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK;3. Planetary Geosciences Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;1. Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical & Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdom;2. College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom;3. Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom;1. Louisiana Tech University, Institute for Micromanufacturing, 911 Hergot Ave, Ruston, LA 71272, United States;2. Louisiana Tech University, Carson Taylor Hall 1 Adams circle, Ruston, LA 71272, United States |
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| Abstract: | 3D-printing technologies are receiving an always increasing attention in architecture, due to their potential use for direct construction of buildings and other complex structures, also of considerable dimensions, with virtually any shape. Some of these technologies rely on an agglomeration process of inert materials, e.g. sand, through a special binding liquid and this capability is of interest for the space community for its potential application to space exploration. In fact, it opens the possibility for exploiting in-situ resources for the construction of buildings in harsh spatial environments. The paper presents the results of a study aimed at assessing the concept of 3D printing technology for building habitats on the Moon using lunar soil, also called regolith. A particular patented 3D-printing technology – D-shape – has been applied, which is, among the existing rapid prototyping systems, the closest to achieving full scale construction of buildings and the physical and chemical characteristics of lunar regolith and terrestrial regolith simulants have been assessed with respect to the working principles of such technology. A novel lunar regolith simulant has also been developed, which almost exactly reproduces the characteristics of the JSC-1A simulant produced in the US. Moreover, tests in air and in vacuum have been performed to demonstrate the occurrence of the reticulation reaction with the regolith simulant. The vacuum tests also showed that evaporation or freezing of the binding liquid can be prevented through a proper injection method. The general requirements of a Moon outpost have been specified, and a preliminary design of the habitat has been developed. Based on such design, a section of the outpost wall has been selected and manufactured at full scale using the D-shape printer and regolith simulant. Test pieces have also been manufactured and their mechanical properties have been assessed. |
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| Keywords: | 3D printing Direct manufacturing Lunar habitat Human exploration Regolith Structural optimisation |
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