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In a milestone in space construction technology, Michigan Tech's Planetary Surface Technology Development Lab (PSTDL) partnered with SpaceFactory to successfully build and test the first lunar road in a simulated space environment, replicating the dusty vacuum conditions of the moon.
Both Tech's PSTDL and SpaceFactory have a history of breaking barriers in the space industry. The PSTDL, also known as HuskyWorks, focuses on advancing technologies for planetary exploration and construction. The lab works in collaboration with government, academic and private sector partners to drive innovation in space technology and support long-term human exploration of extraterrestrial surfaces.
SpaceFactory is a NASA Centennial Challenge-winning space technology company focused on developing innovative solutions for advanced manufacturing and construction. Led by a team of veteran architects and engineers, the company's work is laying the foundation for long-term space exploration.
The partnership between the PSTDL and SpaceFactory dates back to 2018, when the PSTDL's founder and director, Paul van Susante, Tech's Lou and Herbert Wacker Endowed Professor in Mechanical Engineering, served as an advisor for the SpaceFactory Competition Team in NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Centennial Challenge. The team won the challenge in 2019.
Following their success, HuskyWorks and SpaceFactory were looking for ways to collaborate again. In Phase I of the NASA-funded Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, the nation's largest source of early-stage non-dilutive funding for innovative technologies, the two organizations found their opportunity to work together on the first lunar road.
Why Build a Lunar Road in the First Place?
Just as on Earth, roads on the Moon will reduce wear and tear on lunar vehicles, allowing them to be lighter, faster and more durable, and protecting their operational integrity. The surface of the moon is covered in regolith — a blanket of dust, broken rocks and other related materials loosely covering solid rock. The substance is notoriously problematic in lunar environments. Its fine, jagged particles adhere to surfaces, infiltrate machinery and obscure sensors, compromising equipment functionality and longevity. Combined with the moon's lack of atmosphere, reduced gravity and the electrostatic properties of regolith, the dust can remain airborne, which poses significant contamination risks for both astronauts and habitats.
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