![]() This is already done on the ISS, where no drop of liquid (washing, sweat, tears, or even urine) is wasted. Water is fundamental for life as we know it but could also be used to make propellant or radiation shielding.Īn initial settlement would need to carry a certain amount of water and recycle all waste liquids. Once the habitat is built, the colony will need continuous supplies of water, oxygen, energy and food to sustain its inhabitants, presuming the colony wasn’t built on an idyllic Earth-like planet with these resources in abundance. ![]() And NASA has installed a 3D printer on the ISS to show it can be used in zero-gravity, potentially as a way of making spacecraft components in space. Private firm Planetary Resources has demonstrated 3D printing using raw material from a metal-rich asteroid sample found on Earth in an impact site. We’ve actually already started looking at making this possible. ![]() Specifically, 3D printers could be used to turn minerals from the local soil into physical structures. The alternative would be to carry a minimal “toolbox” from Earth and manufacture the habitat using locally-harvested resources. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |