Scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) are showing their love for toy bricks to create launch pads and shelters for astronauts visiting the Moon in the future, and have created LEGO pieces using dust from a meteorite.
To test whether space materials could be used to create structures, the team 3D printed LEGO-like bricks. They used meteorite dust to see if it could continue to be used as building blocks in small-scale versions of structures.
Both companies are sure to inspire the builders of tomorrow on how building with LEGO bricks can help solve out-of-this-world problems.
Using dust from a meteorite, the homes of the future will be created
The real structures will be built on the Moon, with the materials found on the satellite, but first they needed to know if a space material could be converted into building blocks and they had to do it on a small scale.
The space material on the Moon is regolith, but only a very small sample is available on Earth, collected on the Apollo mission. So the team turned to another very similar space material, meteorites, which they ground into powder and mixed with a small amount of polylactide and a regolith simulant.
They used it to 3D print LEGO-like bricks, creating the ESA space bricks. The meteorite they used is about 4.5 billion years old, was discovered in northwest Africa in 2000, and is technically classified as L3-6. It is a brecciated stone that has many different elements incorporated, such as large metallic grains, inclusions, chondrucules, and other stone meteorite elements.
15 ESA space bricks will be on display in selected LEGO stores around the world to inspire children to discover more about space travel and to inspire them to build their own lunar shelters.
ESA space bricks will be on display in select LEGO stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain and Australia, as well as at LEGO House Billund in Denmark, from June 24 to September 20 .
You can a round for Discord and don’t miss the news on Google news. Also, remember to follow us on Instagram.
#create #Lego #pieces #dust #billionyearold #meteorite #TierraGamer #news #entertainment #anime #series #video #games #technology