Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
There are many LEGO sets with astronauts as the motif, but there are also LEGO blocks made from things that astronauts have found in outer space. The European Space Agency (ESA) has managed to create Lego pieces out of actual meteorite dust. Pretty cool, right? It’s on display. Until September 20th, including at the larger branch on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
This project isn’t just for laughs, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s a proof of concept that shows how astronauts could build lunar structures using moon dust. Think about the amount of energy and money it would take to transport building materials from Earth to the Moon. If we built everything using existing lunar materials instead, that would be a game changer.
The surface of the Moon has a layer of sedimentary rocks and minerals called lunar regolith. We’ve long known that we need some kind of regolith. It’s readily available, and there are several possible ways to turn it into building material. After all, humans have been building structures out of dirt and sand for thousands of years.
But there’s not much lunar regolith on Earth for people to experiment with, so ESA scientists made their own regolith by crushing a very old meteorite. They turned this meteorite dust into a mixture and 3D printed LEGO pieces. Voila: lunar bricks that click together just like regular LEGO bricks, but in only one color (space gray, naturally).
“No one has ever built a structure on the moon before, so it’s been great to have the freedom to try out all kinds of designs and building techniques with our space blocks. Understanding the scientific limits of these technologies has been both fun and useful,” said ESA Science Officer Aidan Cowley.
Humanity is indeed on the verge of reaching its first lunar base. NASA has partnered with the Italian Space Agency and Thales Alenia to build the first permanent human base on the Moon, but that won’t happen until at least the 2030s. Recent designs for lunar habitats range from mobile homes to .
This article contains affiliate links, if you click on such links and make a purchase we may earn a commission.