Laser melting of moon dust

Additive manufacturing 3D printing on the moon ready for takeoff

2024-04-18 Source: LZH, TU Berlin | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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As part of the Moonrise project, researchers are working on bringing 3D printing to the moon. The Laser Center Hanover e.V. (LZH) has now concluded a contract with Astrobotic for the flight to the moon. The flight is expected to take place at the end of 2026.

The "Griffin" lander from Astrobotic. A lander that transports the Moonrise laser to the moon could look similar.(Image: Astrobotic) — The "Griffin" lander from Astrobotic. A lander that transports the Moonrise laser to the moon could look similar.
(Image: Astrobotic)

It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie: In the Moonrise project, researchers from German TU Berlin and the German Laser Center Hannover e.V. (LZH) want to send a developed system for laser melting of moon dust, the so-called regolith, for initial tests to the moon. The vision of the "Moonrise" project is to be able to produce infrastructures on the moon with the materials available there in the future. Manufacturing landing pads, roads or buildings from moon dust on site would save enormous transportation costs, as transporting material from Earth to the Moon is very expensive, with costs up to one million dollars per kilogram.

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The scientists' vision: Testing the Moonrise technology on the moon.(Image: LZH)

Melting of artificial moon dust with a laser.(Image: LZH)

The Astrobotic "Griffin" lander. A lander transporting the Moonrise laser to the Moon could look similar.(Image: Astrobotic)

In the Moonrise project, scientists are exploring how we can use lasers to 3D print roads or buildings out of moon dust in the future.(Image: LZH)

Gallery with 6 images

The next step towards fulfilling this vision has now been taken: LZH has now signed a contract with the space company Astrobotic. "I am delighted to announce our partnership with Astrobotic, a major player in space technology. Together we can now literally take off with this innovative project," says Dr. Dietmar Kracht, Executive Board Member of LZH. Astrobotic is a US-based moon logistics company that offers payload transportation to the moon, both for commercial and scientific purposes. The company was awarded the contract as part of a tender process.

Laser creates 2D structures on the lunar surface

LZH plans to equip Astrobotic's lander with a compact, robust laser as a payload. This laser will melt the lunar dust, also known as regolith, creating 2D structures on the lunar surface. A camera will capture the process and allow researchers on Earth to analyze it through an intelligent image processing system. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not only help find a suitable place on the lunar surface for laser melting, but will also enable quality control of the printed structures and potentially optimize them.

Experiments on regolith simulant are intended to optimize the laser melting process

Until the lunar mission takes off in two years, LZH will continue its research on Earth in collaboration with project partner TU Berlin. The focus is on further optimizing the laser melting process. The researchers are experimenting with synthetic regolith, which was produced by TU Berlin. "The regolith simulator will then be adapted to the final landing site on the moon, so that the laser process in the laboratory can be optimized for the real lunar mission," explains Grefen, who is leading the project on the TU Berlin side.

In parallel, training data for the AI is generated with a "surface analogue model". This model will then also support decisions during the mission. The goal is a "Proof of Concept" that laser melting is possible on the moon.

The project is funded by the German Space Agency in the DLR with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection amounting to 4.75 million euros (approx 5.07 million USD). Project partners are LZH and TU Berlin.

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