MIT Creates New 3D Printer Construction Robot

[Dryson]

http://cnn.it/2oVBW6M

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a robotic system that built the basic structure of a building in less than 14 hours. The dome-like structure is 50 feet in diameter and 12 feet high.

Being able to build on the Moon in less than 14 hours will attract people wanting a home of their own design. The colonization of the Moon is looking even better now.

How can the same 3D Printer Robot be used to build a rocket or spacecraft in space that could have only have dreamed about being built on Earth?

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Printing a structure on the Earth with Earth-available materials and printing one on the Moon from what you have there are not the same thing.

Free-floating, zero-G printers are even less of a thing.

 

[B.J.]

Printing a structure on the Earth with Earth-available materials and printing one on the Moon from what you have there are not the same thing.

They did mention this at the end of the article:

The long-term vision is for the system to work in places such as Antarctica, the moon and Mars to make buildings out of local materials like ice or moon dust. Keating declined to give a specific timeline, but he said technology like this could be ready in 50 years or sooner.​

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Before we worry about building houses on the Moon, maybe we could use this to build houses for actual homeless people on Earth.

 

[B.J.]

Before we worry about building houses on the Moon, maybe we could use this to build houses for actual homeless people on Earth.

The MIT researchers want to deploy their system in remote regions, such as in the developing world or in disaster relief areas, for example after a major earthquake, to provide shelter quickly. But that could be five to 10 years away, Keating, the paper co-author, told CNNTech.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

The MIT researchers want to deploy their system in remote regions, such as in the developing world or in disaster relief areas, for example after a major earthquake, to provide shelter quickly. But that could be five to 10 years away, Keating, the paper co-author, told CNNTech.

Wasn't beefing with the article, just the discussion here centering on using this tech on the Moon, when it has such obvious applications here on Earth.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

Wasn't beefing with the article, just the discussion here centering on using this tech on the Moon, when it has such obvious applications here on Earth.

False dichotomy. There is no reason we should not be able to discuss both.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

False dichotomy. There is no reason we should not be able to discuss both.

Which is why I brought it up. No need to get hostile.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

I think my reply was rather polite and anything but hostile. In fact, it was just like your reply, but only on the other side of the issue. Are you sure you are really interested in a discussion here?

 

[publiusr]

On the Moon, you wouldn't have anyone kicking it over at least. In Birmingham, there was an article about how some churches were giving boxes and blankets to folks, only to have some badge come and take them away a few hours later.

 

[Jedi Marso]

Being able to build on the Moon in less than 14 hours will attract people wanting a home of their own design. The colonization of the Moon is looking even better now.

Due to radiation and the extreme temperature changes between Lunar day/night, it is doubtful that humans will live ON the moon any time soon. Our initial colonization effort will involve people living IN the moon, as in underground. Moon Base Alpha looks great on TV but nobody would have survived a two-week lunar day inside it- they would have broiled.