Chinese scientists have unveiled a solar-powered 3D printing device that transforms lunar regolith into durable bricks, potentially changing how humans will build on the Moon. The breakthrough, detailed in Acta Astronautica, showcases a method for creating construction materials entirely from Moon dust without importing resources from Earth.
How the Device Works
The system, developed at the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL) in Hefei, Anhui Province, operates much like a 3D printer but uses concentrated sunlight as its heat source. A parabolic reflector collects solar radiation and focuses it into a single point. This light is then transmitted through fiber optic bundles to achieve more than 3,000 times the normal intensity of sunlight at Earth’s surface.
At this focus point, temperatures surpass 1,300°C (2,300°F)—hot enough to melt lunar regolith. Laboratory tests, using basalt-based simulated Moon soil and a xenon lamp to replicate sunlight, successfully created a variety of solid structures: flat surfaces, curved shapes, and even complex geometries.
Why Lunar Bricks Matter?
Transporting construction materials from Earth is one of the most expensive challenges in lunar base development. By using in-situ resources—materials already available on the Moon—this technology could drastically reduce mission costs and make permanent lunar settlements more feasible.
According to senior engineer Yang Honglun, the bricks could be used for roads, equipment platforms, and radiation-protective shells for habitat modules. The bricks alone cannot maintain internal pressure in the Moon’s vacuum, but they can serve as an outer shield for inflatable or rigid pressurized structures, adding protection against micrometeorites and solar radiation.
Testing for Harsh Lunar Conditions
In November 2024, Tianzhou 8 delivered simulated lunar bricks to the Tiangong space station. These samples are being exposed to space for three years to assess thermal durability, mechanical strength, and radiation shielding capacity.
DSEL’s engineers also conducted tests with multiple simulated regolith compositions to ensure the process would work with the Moon’s natural soil variations. Their design emphasizes self-sufficiency, avoiding any additives—only the Moon’s natural dust is used.
Beyond Bricks: The Vision for Lunar Construction
Yang and his team see the machine as part of a larger automated construction ecosystem. They envision robotic systems that could mass-produce bricks, integrate them into modular structures, and validate these designs under real lunar conditions. This would allow entire lunar cities to be built without constant supply shipments from Earth.
If successful, the approach could extend beyond the Moon, potentially serving Mars missions and other off-Earth colonization projects.
A Strategic Space Race Dimension
While the United States pursues similar regolith-based construction methods through NASA’s Artemis program, China’s progress has been rapid. The ability to manufacture building materials on-site could provide a significant operational advantage in the global race to establish a permanent lunar presence. The first nation to master this process might set precedents for resource use and territorial operations in space.
This research marks an important milestone in space construction, but challenges remain—particularly ensuring the bricks perform reliably under low gravity, temperature swings, and lunar dust abrasion. The next few years of testing will determine whether this approach moves from prototype to full-scale deployment.
