Scientists discover that sand on Mars and the Moon can be turned into building blocks for space settlements

Why it matters: As space agencies and private companies plan to build colonies on the Moon and Mars, the ability to produce building materials on site will be crucial. Recent breakthroughs in this area are bringing humankind one step closer to making sustainable space settlements a reality. Furthermore, these developments have the potential to revolutionize construction practices on Earth.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have found a way to convert Martian and lunar sand into solid bricks, which should aid in building future settlements on other planets.

The team developed a method to bind regolith - the loose rocks, sand, and dust found on the surface of Mars and the Moon - using carbon nanotubes. This process requires low temperatures and minimal energy, making it highly efficient for space applications.

Despite their relatively low density, these blocks display strength approaching that of granite. In fact, the strongest bricks produced by this method have a compressive strength of 100 MPa, which is higher than some of the best terrestrial concretes.

One of the key advantages of these regolith-based bricks is their electrical conductivity. This allows them to serve as internal sensors, monitoring the structural health of extraterrestrial buildings. In simple terms, they can detect early warning signs of what was thought to be an airtight structure in space starting to fail.

The implications of this research extend beyond space exploration. The scientists believe their findings could have practical applications for the construction industry on Earth. By incorporating a similar nanomaterial called graphene into concrete, its strength could be increased by up to 40 percent.

This could lead to a significant reduction in the quantity of concrete needed for construction, potentially lowering pollution from the concrete manufacturing industry, which currently accounts for about 8 percent of global CO2 emissions.

Previous research has also explored the possibility of using lunar regolith to create bricks for cosmic construction projects.

A few years ago, a team of University of Central Florida researchers found that bricks made of lunar regolith and saltwater could help NASA establish a long-term presence on the Moon by building a base camp that includes a modern lunar cabin, rover and mobile home.

Associate Professor Ranajay Ghosh of UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, along with his research group, created 3D-printed bricks of lunar regolith that are able to withstand the extreme environments of space.

To create the bricks, Ghosh's team used a combination of 3D printing and binder jet technology (BJT), an additive manufacturing method that forces out a liquid binding agent – in this case saltwater – onto a bed of powder.

"Constructing a semi-permanent base on the moon or Mars will require maximal use of materials found in-situ and minimization of materials and equipment transported from Earth," said Jonathan Coleman, who leads the Trinity College project. "This will mean a heavy reliance on regolith and water, supplemented by small quantities of additives fabricated on Earth."