A new concept for a lunar base, built partly with bricks created from lunar dust, has been presented by a Lincoln, Nebraska architecture firm, Architecture Etcetra, according to a March 18, 2013 story in Gizmag.
The concept is called SinterHab. The way it would work is that a variety of connected inflatable buildings made of layered Kevlar, mylar, and other materials would be clustered together. Then a device would collect lunar regolith, heat it with microwave radiation until it becomes a substance much like ceramic, and then use 3D printing technology to shape it into bricks that can be used to shield the lunar base against hazards such as radiation and micrometeorites. Material can also be used to create roads, landing pads, and other structures on the lunar surface. The School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University has already tested the concept.
The SinterHab concept would create a base for four to eight people and would include living quarters, a lab, and a garden that can help recycle air and water as well as provide food for the lunar residents.
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