Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2024 - 27

Regolith-Polymer 3D Printing
Building infrastructure on the Moon and other planetary bodies using available resources.
Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL
T
he history of construction materials
and methods has evolved over time,
with Portland cement concrete being the
most widely used material on Earth. Constructing
habitats and infrastructure on
the Moon and Mars, however, requires
a different approach given the lack of
such conventional construction resources
and materials. Recognizing the need
for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to
support long-duration human missions
to the Moon and Mars, NASA's Kennedy
Space Center and Sidus Space have developed
a novel three-dimensional print
head apparatus using regolith-polymer
mixtures as a building material.
The invention paves the way for enabling
the construction of habitats and
other critical infrastructure on the Moon
and other planetary bodies using available
resources. The Regolith-Polymer
3D Printing System can also be adapted
to work with other crushed rock materials
or mixtures depending on resource
availability at construction sites.
The invention consists of a 3D print
head apparatus that heats and extrudes
a regolith-polymer (or other) mixture
as part of an additive manufacturing
process. The technology includes a securing
mechanism, hopper, nozzle, barrel,
and heating system. The securing
mechanism attaches to a wrist joint of
a robotic arm. The hopper, connected
to the securing mechanism, has a cavity
and a lower aperture. The barrel is an
elongated, hollow member with its first
end connected to the hopper's lower aperture
and its second end connected to
the nozzle's upper aperture.
The heating system is positioned
along the barrel and comprises a heater,
thermocouple, insulator, and heating
controller. The heating controller
activates the heater based on input signals
received from the thermocouple.
The print head apparatus also includes
a feed screw, drive shaft, and motor.
The feed screw is positioned within the
elongated hollow member of the barrel,
and the drive shaft transmits torque
to the feed screw.
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An environmental view of the patented and jointly developed 3D-print head mechanism, in combination
with a robotic arm. (Image: NASA)
The motor provides torque to the drive
shaft. An agitator is secured to the drive
shaft, facilitating the consistent movement
and mixing of the regolith-polymer mixture
in the hopper. The nozzle includes a
tube with an open end and an occluded
end, allowing the mixture to be extruded
through the lower aperture.
The jointly developed 3D-print head
technology enables efficient, large-scale
additive
construction
using in-situ
transporting materials from Earth and alwww.techbriefs.com
resources,
such as regolith or other materials.
The innovation reduces the need for
lows for sustainable habitat development
on the Moon or Mars. Given its adaptability
to different crushed rock-polymer
materials, the invention may also serve as
an alternative to conventional Portland
concrete construction on Earth.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to
commercialize this technology. Please
contact NASA's Licensing Concierge at
Agency-Patent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov
or call at 202-358-7432 to initiate licensing
discussions. For more information, visit
https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/
KSC-TOPS-88.
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https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/KSC-TOPS-88 http://www.techbriefs.com
Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2024

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