Moon Bricks Will Pave the Way for Human Space Exploration

Hello ATS. I came across an article which discusses the notion being tossed around of Moon Bricks. Moon Bricks will be made from Moon Dust however, the article doesn't go into detail about how the Bricks will be fabricated. Will the bricks be merely compressed Moon Dust or combined with other materials? IDK.

Lunar masonry starts on Earth. European researchers are working with Moon dust simulants that could one day allow astronauts to build habitats on our natural satellite and pave the way for human space exploration. The surface of the Moon is covered in grey, fine, rough dust. This powdery soil is everywhere – an indigenous source that could become the ideal material for brickwork. You can crush it, burn it and compress it. “Moon bricks will be made of dust,” says Aidan Cowley, ESA’s science advisor with a wealth of experience in dealing with lunar soil. “You can create solid blocks out of it to build roads and launch pads, or habitats that protect your astronauts from the harsh lunar environment.” European teams see Moon dust as the starting point to building up a permanent lunar outpost and breaking explorers’ reliance on Earth supplies.

Apparently, researchers in Europe are working on the Moon Dust brick concept. The plan is to use the bricks for landing pads/strips, shelters, and roadways. Hopefully, we'll see this in action very soon. Thoughts, ATS?

scitechdaily.com...

That's gonna be one long arse sidewalk.

Bundle up it's gonna get cold.

a reply to: lostbook

Seems to me that would take quite a bit of water. Maybe they have no problem making vast amounts of water on the moon, but it's just a thought I had.

a reply to: neo96

I wonder how 3-D printers will work with Moon Dust..? The dust is said to be very fine and corrosive. Will it damage the ptinter(s)? Because, if not, 3-D printers and Moon Dust could be a match made in heaven. Agree, Neo?

a reply to: lostbook

So the brave souls who make the trip then have how long to build something before they have to return? Taking the moon landings into account the crew is usually 3 strong, thats a lot of work to be doing out there, I love the idea but surely the majority of the build needs to be made by robots, left on the surface, or can we stay on the surface longer these days? I genuinely dont know

Unless...............

a reply to: UpIsNowDown

I really think 3d printed pods will be the initial method

a reply to: lostbook

Hard saying.

Earth and the Moon have entirely different environments.

originally posted by: lostbook
Will the bricks be merely compressed Moon Dust or combined with other materials?

"Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves."

originally posted by: lostbook
a reply to: neo96

I wonder how 3-D printers will work with Moon Dust..? The dust is said to be very fine and corrosive. Will it damage the ptinter(s)? Because, if not, 3-D printers and Moon Dust could be a match made in heaven. Agree, Neo?

the traditional 3d printer would never be able to handle anything other than plastic

if we can make a cement
interestingengineering.com...

Regolith igloos, or "Regoligoos".

double post.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People
Regolith igloos, or "Regoligoos".

I'd go with 'regloos'

I have read that moon dust is magnets and easily melted by microwaves. Scientist say moon dust could be melted by vehicle mounted microwave devices to create roads. Also, magnetic filtering devices could be used to filter the air in living habitats.

Moon dust is toxic and very abrasive. Solutions will need to be devised before people can go back to the moon.

We do it in mining all the time.
We take ground waste rock, mix it with an adhesive to create a slurry which hardens into a paste fill.
It turns into a cement like substance used for backfilling open voids in the mine.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People
Regolith igloos, or "Regoligoos".

Or find a cave or make a tunnel and give it a shotcrete treatment from moondust concrete.




Pretty sure the poorly written article is talking about 3d printing a moondust concrete.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People
Regolith igloos, or "Regoligoos".

Or find a cave or make a tunnel and give it a shotcrete treatment from moondust concrete.




Pretty sure the poorly written article is talking about 3d printing a moondust concrete.

originally posted by: scojak
a reply to: lostbook

Seems to me that would take quite a bit of water. Maybe they have no problem making vast amounts of water on the moon, but it's just a thought I had.

Water is H2O.

H2O is just made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. That's like chemistry Legos. I'm sure they can figure it out.

Speaking of chemistry, does anyone else giggle at the fact that the basic model for the Periodic Table hasn't changed in decades?
I always giggle at the inset for the Lanthanide and Actinide series.
If the Periodic Table was just drawn out, it would have this massive blank spot, because of those two groups.

Haha, the Lanthanide series and Actinide series are the Alaska and Hawaii of the Periodic Table, gotta show them on the inset. Can't put them in the image of the "continental States"

originally posted by: Macenroe82
We do it in mining all the time.
We take ground waste rock, mix it with an adhesive to create a slurry which hardens into a paste fill.
It turns into a cement like substance used for backfilling open voids in the mine.

Lack of water to make a slurry is a problem on the moon.

eManymhas it right though. Microwaves can melt the silicate to make glass like bricks all they need is enough energy.

a reply to: Grimpachi

That's why you go polar where it is not a problem.

a reply to: lostbook


You can do a lot better than just "bricks"!

They say that the moon has no atmosphere but it actually kind of does! The fine particles are mostly glass (silica dioxide) which is also coating other minerals. Some of it floats around like volcanic glass particles getting charged by sun and will basically stick to anything due to static electricity. Some of it is magnetic because of the iron being coated in the stuff!

Also read that they think they can apply microwaves and thanks to no atmosphere it heats instantly and you run around making paving blocks or roads.

See sciencedaily.com - NASA’s Dirty Secret: Moon Dust.

Not to mention all the 3He that is supposed to be trapped there for nuclear fusion. Way more you can do than just bricks! First, you need to figure out how to keep moving parts from being ground up under their own movement as that stuff is everywhere.