According to ESA, the project also has a scientific background: 3D Printing the small building elements, whose design is based on that of Lego bricks, is intended to help construct buildings and launch pads on the moon. As lunar dust is only available on Earth in the form of samples from the Apollo missions, a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite found around 20 years ago in North Africa was used as an alternative. It is made of various space substances, including metals and chondrules (silicate globules). To make the material printable, it has been enriched with PLA plastic, among other things.
ESA wants to use the 3D-printed clamping components to test different construction methods for space. ESA science officer Aidan Cowley explains: “No one has ever built a structure on the moon, so we have to work out not only how we build them, but what we build them out of, as we can’t take any materials with us.” The 3D-printed clamping bricks made of meteorite dust turned out to have a slightly rougher surface than their plastic counterparts. “The result is amazing – importantly, the clutch power still works, enabling us to play and test our designs,” Cowley continues.
Fifteen of the bricks can be seen in various Lego stores and at Lego House in Billund, Denmark, until September 20. It remains to be seen whether this project will ultimately make buildings possible on the moon, or merely promote the sale of bricks on Earth. What it will certainly do, however, is inspire young researchers to take a closer look at the topic of space.