sci-universe:

European Space Agency announces plans to build a lunar base by 2030s

The European Space Agency (ESA) considers the Moon as the next destination for humans venturing beyond Low Earth Orbit and an integral element of the roadmap towards humans missions to Mars.

Bases on the Moon built by 3D printers could be a reality in the next decade or so, a recent symposium “Moon 2020-2030″ of 200 scientists, engineers, and industry experts has concluded.

The plan outlined by the ESA is that, starting from the early 2020s, robots will be sent to the Moon to begin constructing various facilities, followed a few years later by the first inhabitants.

Setting up a lunar base could be made much simpler by using a 3D printer to build it from local materials. Industrial partners including renowned architects Foster + Partners have joined with ESA to test the feasibility of 3D printing using lunar soil.

“Terrestrial 3D printing technology has produced entire structures. Our industrial team investigated if it could similarly be employed to build a lunar habitat, ” said Laurent Pambaguian, heading the project for ESA.

“3D printing offers a potential means of facilitating lunar settlement with reduced logistics from Earth,” added Scott Hovland of ESA’s human spaceflight team.

Illustration credit ESA/Foster + Partners

(via sagansense)