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Tave speak:
- While NASA continues its preparations to land a person on the moon over its Artemis program, new research indicates the possibility of building not only the moon on the surface but also on Mars.
- A research team has developed a synthetic lichen system According to a press release from Texas A & M University in Texas, Texas A & M University, this can form building materials without external intervention. The team was led by Conongui Grace Jin, an assistant professor in the department for engineering technology and the school distribution.
- Jins Team developed a synthetic community or a group of lichen species that, according to the release, uses the advantages of these several species. This system, which could enable autonomous construction on the planet, eliminates the need for external nutrient supply and could finally convert biomaterials for 3D printing into ink.
Diver Insight:
NASA has for years leaned into the private sector Funding solutions that can lead to permanent structures in space. The structure in space presents challenges that range from the unaffordable costs for the transport of building materials together with the hard climate zones of the lunar and mars climate.
In this case, the surface of Mars is covered with regolith, which can consist of dust, sand and rocks.
But Jins team believes that they have found a way. According to the release, its system grows with only Mars Regolith simulants, air, light and an inorganic liquid medium. In other words, no workers needed.
“We can build a synthetic community by imitating natural braids,” said Jin in the press release. “We have developed a way to build synthetic braids to create biomaterials that glue the Mars Regolith particles in structures. Then a wide range of structures can be produced by 3D printing, such as buildings, houses and furniture.”
The next step with this regolite ink for printing organic structures using the 3D printing technique of writing direct ink-is already underway according to the publication.
“The potential of this self -growing technology in enabling long -term extraterrestrial research and settlement is significant,” said Jin.
The study was financed by NASA innovative Advanced Concepts Program Recently published in the Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering.