NASA reveals how astronauts will live on the Moon
In this DML Report…
NASA is funding a project to build large spherical habitats on the moon using glass bubbles formed from melted lunar regolith, a dust-like soil containing up to 60 percent silicates suitable for glass production. The process involves collecting regolith, melting it in a smart microwave furnace akin to household microwaves, and blowing the molten material into transparent spheres via enormous gas pipes that later serve as entrances. In the moon's low gravity, the amorphous liquid naturally forms spheres for optimal structural integrity and even pressure distribution, with additives like titanium, magnesium, and calcium enhancing strength to surpass steel. Interiors would feature 3D-printed fittings from lunar materials, solar panels for power, and layered bubbles to create ecosystems for growing oxygen-producing plants and vegetables, potentially generating enough electricity to sustain the entire system. This in-situ manufacturing avoids the high costs and labor of shipping prefabricated parts, 3D printing, or inflatables, while the transparency supports astronaut mental health, and self-healing polymers could repair damage from micrometeorites or moonquakes.
The concept originates from Skyeports, a U.S. space engineering firm, where CEO Dr. Martin Bermudez, an architect, identified regolith's potential two years ago and secured NASA support. Under NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program, the initiative aims to scale prototypes—already demonstrated with inch-wide glass balls from lunar dust—to habitats 1,000 to 1,600 feet wide, connected by glass bridges into lunar cities extendable to Mars or orbit. Bermudez stated the spherical formation occurs automatically in low gravity and emphasized urgency amid the Artemis timeline: "We're in a race against time because Artemis is moving so fast." Upcoming tests include blowing techniques in a thermal vacuum chamber this January, microgravity simulations, trials on the International Space Station, and lunar surface experiments within two years. NASA's Clayton Turner highlighted the program's role: "Our next steps and giant leaps rely on innovation, and the concepts born from NIAC can radically change how we explore deep space."
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The plan supports NASA's Artemis missions, including the uncrewed Artemis I launched in November 2022, crewed flyby Artemis II in April 2026, surface landing Artemis III by mid-2027, and lunar space station construction with Artemis IV in September 2028, culminating in a moon village by 2035. While initial Artemis visits may be short, this addresses long-term habitation needs, with NASA currently scouting sites for 2027 landings. A related 2023 study from Aalen University in Germany proposed lunar bricks and roads from laser-zapped regolith, complementing such resource-based construction advances.