One of the most expensive things in this world is space exploration. NASA’s budget for this year, for example, is around $22.6 billion. Everything about space exploration is expensive, from making spaceships to shipping stuff.
We’re talking several thousand dollars per pound to get to the moon, at best. This is why long-term plans for establishing a presence on the lunar surface — including building moon bases — recognize that we’ll need to use any local material we can. And I mean anything. Even, apparently, urine.
That’s right. Human urine. How does our urine help in making lunar bases? According to European researchers, the most abundant component of urine (urea) can help in keeping 3D-printed structures workable while not compromising strength and stability during hardening.
Plasticizers are often used in geopolymers (think ceramics or simple concrete) because they make the initial mixture easier to shape while avoiding dilution with too much water, which would weaken the final product.
By combining simulated lunar soil with water and urea, the researchers made 3D-printed geopolymer cylinders that outperformed versions that didn’t include a plasticizer.
More details about this over at Discover Magazine.
I just hope that future lunar bases won’t smell.
Well, what do you think?
(Image Credit: Gregory H. Revera/ Wikimedia Commons)