Humanity is taking another huge leap in space exploration with the latest announcement from an 3-D printing company.
ICON, a tech company, announced they have received funding from the government and NASA to begin research and development of a space-based construction system that could eventually support further Moon exploration.
Editor's Choice:
Building humanity’s first home on another world will be the most ambitious construction project in human history and will push science, engineering, technology, and architecture to literal new heights
Jason Ballard, Co-founder and CEO of ICON
The project, known as "Project Olympus," will be launched through NASA's "Artemis Program," and will lead to the Moon being the first off-Earth site for sustainable surface exploration.
But getting 3-D printed structures on the moon will require more than just a powerful rocket, as multiple factors need to be taken into consideration for it to be done safely.
In order to establish a lunar presence, ICON must successfully create pretty much indestructible structures that provide better thermal, radiation, and micrometeorite protection for space travelers.
The company even has ambitions to help build sustainable structures where humans can not only survive, but thrive in worlds beyond Earth.
made a strong presence in the architecture world after successfully creating the first permitted 3-D printed home in the United States, and it's both beautiful and affordable resting in the city of Austin.