Laser 3D printing turns simulated Moon dust into heat-resistant structures

Researchers at Ohio State University have used a laser 3D printing process to transform simulated lunar soil into durable, heat-resistant structures, as part of a long-term NASA goal to support human habitation on the moon.

In a study published in the journal Acta Astronautica, the team detailed how it melted a lunar regolith simulant — a synthetic version of the fine dust found on the moon’s surface — into layers, and then fused it onto a base surface to manufacture small objects designed to withstand extreme thermal conditions.

The simulant used is known as LHS-1, and it replicates soil found in the lunar highlands, which is a heavily cratered region characterized by dark-colored basaltic rock.

Surface impact on final print quality

When testing the fabrication process across a range of environmental conditions, the researchers found that the quality of the final material depended significantly on the surface onto which the soil was printed.

Printing LHS-1 onto stainless steel and glass proved challenging, while the material adhered effectively to alumina-silicate ceramic. This was most likely down to the fact that the two compounds form crystals that enhance thermal stability and mechanical strength. Other variables that affected structural stability included atmospheric oxygen levels, laser intensity, and printing speed.

“By combining different feedstocks, like metal and ceramics, in the printing process, we found that the final material is really sensitive to the environment,” said Sizhe Xu, lead author and Graduate Research Associate in Industrial Systems Engineering at OSU. “Different environments lead to different properties, which directly affect the mechanical strength and the thermal shock resistance of certain components.”

Sarah Wolff, senior author and Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at OSU, highlighted a key challenge in the research: the replication of space conditions in a laboratory setting.

“There are conditions that happen in space that are really hard to emulate in a simulant,” she said. “It may work in the lab, but in a resource-scarce environment, you have to try everything to maximize the flexibility of a machine for different scenarios.”

Impact on terrestrial applications for a more sustainable future

The study indicated that future iterations of the printing system could be powered by solar-driven or hybrid power architectures rather than conventional electricity. That finding led Wolff to suggest the potential benefits for planet Earth, too.

“If we can successfully manufacture things in space using very few resources, that means we can also achieve better sustainability on Earth,” she said. “To that end, improving the machine’s flexibility for different scenarios is a goal we’re working really hard toward.”

Xu added: “There are so many applications that we’re working toward that with new information, the possibilities are endless.”