Jan. 22, 2009 -- Take some moon dust, add some ground up spaceship, zap the mix with electricity, and presto! Moon bricks. Astronauts living on the moon could someday use such a formula to construct an interlocking, virtually indestructible dome-shaped home. "The habitat would look just like an igloo," said Kathryn Logan, a professor at Virginia Tech involved in the project. "No nails, no cement would be necessary to hold it together. The shape of the bricks will do that." The moon bricks were created as part of the Pacific International Space lunar exploration and colonization. The VT team won one of two prizes in this year's competition. A team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology won the other prize. Related Content: Get the Latest in Science and Tech News From Discovery How Stuff Works: What If We Lived on the Moon? Discovery Tech:IM interview with Kathryn Logan, Moon Brick Researcher Moon Dust: A Potential Health Hazard The VT team's goal was to create a home for visiting astronauts using readily available materials, also known as in situ resource utilization. Regolith is the main rock found on the moon. Aluminum would come from the vehicle the astronauts used to reach the moon, but would have to be ground up first. Solar chargers would provide the necessary electricity. Since real moon rock isn't readily available here on Earth, the VT scientists used a NASA-approved regolith substitute, basically volcanic ash, as a medium to experiment with, and tested the reaction on a Hawaiian volcano. Two wires stuck into the mixture provide the literal spark that begins the reactions. Once the reaction begins, astronauts would have to step back quickly. Temperatures can reach 1,500 degrees C. Sparks shoot out like a Fourth of July sparkler. The reaction continues until all the mixture is consumed. Any shape or size can be produced, from small, interlocking bricks to solid landing pads. Creating an entire residence in a few minutes would even be possible, if the team finds a way to hold the powder in place while the reaction proceeds. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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