Astronauts could 3D print tools and parts from titanium and Mars dust

[Judi Lynn]

By Michael Irving
September 08, 2022

Sending materials into space is expensive, so the more astronauts can make on-site, the better. Engineers at Washington State University (WSU) have now demonstrated how crushed Martian rock could be mixed with a titanium alloy to make 3D-printable building materials.

For the first astronauts who will spend long periods of time on the Moon or Mars, it’s not really an option to just duck down to the shops when you need building supplies or tools. Most of those materials will need to be sent from Earth at great expense. Ideally, astronauts will be able to make use of the resources around them – even if that’s mostly just rock and dirt.

To that end, scientists have been experimenting with ways to make habitats, building materials, tools, parts and other things directly out of regolith, the rocky “soil” that covers the lunar and Martian surfaces. That could include making the desired shapes using 3D printers, high-powered lasers or concentrated sunlight to melt the material, or compressing it into bricks.

For the new study, the WSU researchers tested how Martian dust would work when mixed with a titanium alloy that’s often used in space exploration because it’s strong, lightweight and heat-resistant. Because they obviously can’t get their hands on the real thing, they used an artificial substance designed to mimic the Red Planet regolith.

More:
https://newatlas.com/materials/3d-print-tools-parts-titanium-mars-dust/