As NASA prepares for lunar bases by 2030 and Mars missions by 2039 we face an extraordinary challenge, how do you build a house when shipping materials costs up to $1 million per kilogram? The answer lies in revolutionary construction techniques that could transform how we build right here on Earth.
Mars captured by the Hubble Space Telescope is likely to be one of the next destinations for human exploration (Credit : NASA)
Dr. Patrick Suermann, a Texas A&M University professor and former Air Force officer, is tackling this puzzle. His work is a fine example of how space exploration drives innovation that benefits everyone. Building in space requires rethinking everything we know about construction. Without gravity, traditional methods become impossible. Every tool, every material, and every mistake carries, pardon the pun, but astronomical costs. This forces engineers to develop autonomous systems, advanced robotics, and incredibly efficient processes.
Suermann’s team is pioneering 3D printing techniques using lunar regolith, the soil and broken rock found on the Moon’s surface. This approach eliminates the need to transport heavy building materials from Earth, finally making space construction economically viable.
These space age innovations aren’t just for astronauts though. The same technologies being developed for lunar and Martian construction promise to revolutionize building on Earth. Automated construction systems could dramatically improve worker safety by removing humans from dangerous tasks. 3D printing with local materials could provide rapid disaster relief and enable construction in remote areas where traditional building supplies are scarce or expensive.
Buzz Aldrin’s footprint in the lunar regolith, a fine powdery material that may make a fine material for building future constructions on the Moon (Credit : NASA)
The efficiency demands of space construction are also pushing the industry toward manufacturing style precision. This shift could make Earth based construction faster, cheaper, and more sustainable, addressing housing shortages and environmental concerns at the same time. It’s interesting that Suermann began his journey from a school child building bike ramps in Florida’s Space Coast to leading cutting edge space construction research. His military background, including construction projects in remote locations like Greenland and Afghanistan, provided him with unique insights into the challenges of building in extreme environments.
“When I think about the projects we built in the military, they were remote. You have to put so much thought into preparation because you won’t be able to go back and get something you needed. The penultimate version of that is space construction.” – Dr. Patrick Suermann, Texas A&M University professor.
As Texas A&M expands its space research facilities and prepares to host the 2026 Earth and Space Conference, the university is positioning itself at the forefront of this construction revolution. The work being done today in labs and research centres will determine how humanity builds both on distant worlds and in our own communities.
Source : The future of construction on Earth is extraterrestrial