NASA Announces the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge For Moon and Mars Bases 46
An anonymous reader writes: Space policy experts are still arguing where American astronauts should go once they venture into deep space. However, there is widespread agreement that once they get there they should be prepared to stay for longer than just a few hours or days, as was the case during the Apollo missions to the moon. Taking all the material to set up habitats, the astronauts' homes away from home, would tend to be expensive. Toward the end of lowering the cost of long duration space travel, NASA has announced the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, in partnership with America Makes, as part of the ongoing Centennial Challenge program.
Re:The bases have to be built from local material (Score:4, Interesting)
Calcium (a cement precursor) is present on the moon, and IIRC, one of the Mars Rover's missions was to locate calcium on the Red Planet.
Once shelter can be established, subsurface mining will uncover other useful raw materials.