Lego-Inspired “Space Bricks” Offer Potential for Designing Moon Habitats – A Detailed Look into the Advancements

Shipping items to the moon is a costly endeavor, a fact that is not likely to change even with astronauts returning to the lunar surface. Every gram of cargo that is sent to the moon must be lifted off the Earth, making it a heavy burden to carry. This is why utilizing materials found on the moon itself could be beneficial for future lunar projects. This is especially important when considering the construction of lunar habitats, as every gram of materials that can be sourced from the moon would lessen the burden of transporting materials from Earth.

While there is uncertainty about how building with moon materials will work since we have no experience with it on Earth, scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) have come up with an intriguing idea. They have experimented with creating LEGO-like bricks from space dust and using them for construction. Despite the fact that the bricks are not made from actual moondust, but rather a simulant taken from a meteorite, they are still an important innovation in lunar construction.

These space bricks, made from a 4.5-billion-year-old material from a meteorite found in Northwest Africa, have been created using a 3D printer. Although they are rougher than traditional LEGO bricks, they can be stacked and assembled in various configurations, allowing scientists to test different construction methods and techniques. This not only helps in better understanding the challenges of building with moon materials but also in determining the most effective construction methods to use.

The ESA’s moon bricks will be showcased in select LEGO stores from June 20 to September 20, allowing the public to see the innovative approach to lunar construction. This project not only serves as an exciting scientific breakthrough but also paves the way for potential future moon-base construction using locally sourced materials.