Space exploration continues to challenge scientists and infrastructure experts, especially when it comes to establishing habitat on the Moon and other celestial bodies. One of the main challenges is the need for critical infrastructure before human settlements can become a reality.
As it explains Slash Geartransporting the necessary raw materials and machinery to the Moon is a monumental task, but scientists have come up with a unique solution: melt lunar dust to create solid material for roads and landing pads.
The team of experts from Germany’s Aalen University, BAM Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Clausthal University of Technology and the German Aerospace Center is collaborating with Austria’s LIQUIFER Systems Group on this project. The idea is to melt lunar regolith from the surface to create thin blocks with specific shapes that can be used in the construction of roads and platforms.
PAVER method
The method, known as “PAVER” (Paving the way for regolith sintering in large areas)backed by the European Space Agency (ESA), uses a 12-kilowatt carbon dioxide laser on a material that mimics the lunar surface.
The intense heat generated by the laser beam melts the material and turns it into a glassy or crystalline solid with strength similar to concrete. To apply this technique on the Moon, the team plans to use a Fresnel lens as a concentrator of sunlight to create a beam of energy that melts the lunar regolith into solid pieces.
The potential of this technology is vast. Scientists hope to use laser-sintered lunar dust to build 3D structures, such as habitats for astronomers, hangars and storage units. These structures would have the advantage of protecting against micrometeorites and radiation, which is essential given that the Moon lacks an atmosphere to provide protection.
While this approach is promising, it is recognized that building a robust lunar infrastructure will take time. However, since lunar dust is a natural raw material available on the Moon, this technique has the potential to save considerable time and resources, as well as solve the challenge of lunar dust that can damage vehicles and space suits.
Additionally, previous ESA-supported projects have explored similar approaches, such as 3D printing bricks using concentrated sunlight, demonstrating the feasibility of using local resources in future space missions.