NASA plans to build habitats on the Moon by 2040, and has partnered with Austin-based 3D printing company ICON to make that vision a reality. ICON plans to use dust, rock and mineral fragments from the moon's surface to create a concrete-like substance to build houses. However, it is unclear how this material will perform in space conditions and how the company's printer will cope with these conditions. It will soon be tested at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
For this project to succeed, NASA must first send astronauts back to the Moon. If all goes as planned, the Artemis 2 mission will send astronauts into lunar orbit in 2024, and the Artemis 3 mission will send astronauts to the lunar south pole in 2025 or 2026. With this advance, the idea of creating permanent habitats and structures on the Moon will turn from science fiction to reality.
