Scientists create Legos from cosmic dust to build shelters on the Moon

Scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) are developing LEGO-inspired “space bricks” to design shelters on the MoonThe researchers’ idea is to use space dust itself to build solid structures on the satellite, with the aim of reducing the costs of space travel and sending supplies back from Earth.

In the tests, scientists used dust from a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite found in northeastern Africa in 2000. This meteorite contains material similar to the regolith on the Moon’s surface.

To create 3D parts, The group needed to grind up some of the meteorite and mix the cosmic dust with polylactic acid and regolith analogues..

In a classic Lego-style shape, the bricks fit together, allowing builders to assemble the bases into different structures. Watch the European Space Agency’s video about the X below:

We are investigating how a future lunar base could be built from materials on the lunar surface. Inspiring @LEGO_GroupTo test these ideas, we used meteorite dust to 3D-printed “space bricks.” pic.twitter.com/8XD5BhJwZG

— European Space Agency (@esa) June 26, 2024

“It was both fun and useful to scientifically understand the limitations of these techniques. They’ve never built a structure on the Moon, so we need to figure out not only how to build them, but also what materials to make them out of, because we can’t take any with us,” commented ESA spokesperson Aidan Cowley.

Project exhibition

The project, in partnership with LEGO, will be available in select countries across Europe and North America. Select stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Australia will receive the pieces between July 20 and September 20.

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