However, there are substantial challenges. Any structure on the Moon will face harsh conditions, including intense cosmic radiation, extreme temperature changes, and moonquakes. Transporting building materials from Earth to Moon is also very expensive. Scientists in Wuhan, China, believe that using lunar soil could be a solution.
Researchers at Wuhan’s Huazhong University of Science and Technology have created prototype bricks from materials similar to lunar soil, such as basalt. These samples will be tested for their durability and performance in space. “It’s mainly exposure,” said Professor Zhou Cheng. “To put it simply, we put (the material) in space and let it sit there… to see whether its durability, its performance will degrade under the extreme environment.”
The temperature on the Moon can fluctuate from 180°C (356°F) to -190°C (-310°F). With no atmosphere, the Moon is exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation and micrometeorites, while moonquakes could weaken any structure. The experiment will last three years, with samples brought back annually for analysis.
Zhou’s team developed the prototype bricks after studying soil brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 mission, the first in 40 years to bring Moon samples to Earth. Their bricks are three times stronger than standard ones and can interlock without glue. The team is also developing the “Lunar Spider,” a 3D printing robot designed to build structures in space.
“In the future, our plan is definitely to use resources on-site, that is, make bricks directly from the lunar soil, and then do various construction scenarios, so we won’t be bringing the materials from Earth,” Zhou explained.Using materials already on the Moon would save costs, said Jacco van Loon, an astrophysicist at Keele University in the UK, who thinks the experiments are likely to succeed. “The results will pave the way to building moonbases,” he said.China’s lunar base, the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), is a joint project with Russia, and 12 other countries, including Thailand and Pakistan, are partners in the project. The United States is also planning a Moon station as part of its Artemis program, though delays have affected the project. NASA is working on 3D-printed bricks for potential lunar structures, while the European Space Agency has explored using a Lego-style assembly for Moon construction.
(with inputs from AFP)