3D printing in space represents a promising transport solution: there is no risk of damaging a component during launch and landing because it hasn't even been made yet; and rather than have the bulky component on board a shuttle, you just need the raw materials to print it which can be stored in a far more efficient way.
But what if you didn't even need the raw materials?
The European Space Agency's General Studies Programme included a project in which the goal was to investigate if a lunar base could be 3D printed on the moon. While the project was undertaken on Earth, a source of basalt rock bearing a 99.8% resemblance to lunar soil was found, ensuring reliable results. As a result, the project was able to confirm the basic concept of 3D printing using a base of lunar soil.
While the conclusion might sound basic, there are numerous applications to this result, of which 3D printing a whole lunar base is just one possibility. Right from the start, being able to 3D print using lunar soil as one of the main components would make any construction on the moon less reliant on materials from Earth, potentially saving hundreds of millions of pounds in shuttle launches.
Of course, building requirements on the moon are very different to those on Earth, but the project already started looking at possible lunar base designs, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time until they can be put to the test.
3D printing offers a potential means of facilitating lunar settlement with reduced logistics from Earth
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