Constructing a lunar habitation will necessitate a substantial investment in moon-specific infrastructure, including extensive systems for launching and landing, reliable shelters from harsh weather conditions, and effective radiation shielding to protect occupants. However, transporting Earth-based concrete to the lunar surface comes with a significant cost tag. According to Ali Kazemian, a researcher at Louisiana State University’s Robotics and Building Department, the cost of sending just one kilogram of fabric to the moon is approximately $1.2 million. NASA aims to pioneer innovative technologies by converting lunar regolith into essential resources, ultimately paving the way for establishing a self-sustaining presence on Martian terrain.
The conventional use of concrete on the lunar surface poses significant challenges due to the scarcity of water, a crucial resource for any future human settlement. While previous NASA efforts have investigated potential compounds for creating lunarcrete-like substances, the agency is still striving to develop the optimal waterless materials.
LSU scientists are fine-tuning the composition of a revolutionary new cement that harnesses the power of sulfur as its primary component, melting it to form a binding agent that can consolidate materials without requiring water. Researchers successfully merged their innovative waterless cement with simulated samples of lunar and Martian terrain to fabricate a printable concrete material, leveraging its unique properties to construct intricate structures such as partitions and beams? According to Kazemian, NASA believes that three-dimensional printing is a promising technology for building lunar infrastructure.
COURTESY OF ALI KAZEMIAN
By bypassing the requirement for water, the cement is capable of handling broader temperature fluctuations and curing faster than traditional approaches. While the group relied on a pre-formulated powder for their research, lunar and Martian explorers could potentially extract sulfur from regolith material.
Researchers subjected concrete structures to a simulated lunar environment within a vacuum chamber, testing their durability over several weeks by monitoring temperature fluctuations. Researchers initially feared that the cold conditions on the moon’s far side could cause the compound to sublime, akin to how dry ice bypasses its liquid phase and vaporizes directly. Ultimately, researchers found that the specialized concrete could withstand the extreme cold of the lunar South Pole without compromising its composition or structure.
