'ESA Space Bricks' landing at Lego Stores could help build real Artemis moon base
What inspired the European Space Agency (ESA) researchers to use Lego sets as a model for developing moon base structures?
The European Space Agency (ESA) researchers were inspired by Lego sets as a model for developing moon base structures due to their iconic plastic pieces and versatile construction capabilities. The idea was to explore whether space dust could be formed into a brick similar to a Lego brick, allowing them to test different building techniques. The result was the creation of "ESA Space Bricks" using meteorite dust, which will go on display at select Lego Stores worldwide. This collaboration between ESA and Lego aims to inspire the builders of tomorrow and showcase how Lego brick building can help solve out-of-this-world problems.
How did the ESA team utilize 3D printing technology in their development of the ESA Space Bricks?
The ESA team used 3D printing technology to create space bricks similar to Lego bricks, made in part from meteorite dust, as a proof of concept for future lunar construction. They used the dust from a 4.5 million-year-old meteorite, which was added to polylactide (a biodegradable polymer) and lunar regolith simulant to form the feedstock for their 3D printers. The resulting bricks were structurally tested and found to wedge together effectively, demonstrating the potential for 3D printing to manufacture building materials on the moon using local resources.
What inspired the ESA researchers to use Lego sets as a model for developing structures for the moon?
ESA researchers were inspired by Lego sets when working on possible designs for habitats, launch pads, and other structures for astronauts to use on the moon as part of NASA's Artemis program4. They used the iconic plastic pieces as a model and created similar bricks using 3D printers and meteorite dust. The aim was to test whether space materials could be used to create structures, taking inspiration from the Lego building system to advance space travel and showcasing the potential of using materials found in space for construction purposes.