First Lunar Base May be 3D Printed

The title of this Wired article incorporates just about every awesome word I know:

“Giant NASA Spider Robots Could 3D Print Lunar Base Using Microwaves“

It would only be more awesome if it incorporated the adjective “timey-wimey” and the phrase “Geiger-style” or possibly “fine Corinthian.”

I’m just saying.

ATHLETE rover Image NASA JPL website

The basic idea is to use athlete rovers fitted with microwave powered 3D printers to build a moonbase out of lunar dust, brick by brick.

Image credit NASA website

The project, apparently, would require microwave units no more powerful than you use at home, which would be used to fuse lunar dust into a sort of ceramic. How cool is that? It’s cost effective because it uses material already on the moon, so no need to transport building materials, or even human builders to set it up.

NASA has a great, accessible backgrounder on 3D printing a lunar base, where they estimate a base could be built at a rate of one building per week. That’s fast.

You can’t tell me people wouldn’t eat this up. The mission would launch and the payoff would come almost immediately. I grew up in an era when lunar settlements seemed inevitable. The moon, after all, is only a few days journey away. Why the heck not go there? Isn’t the planet feeling a little small these days?

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