Creating semi-permanent human settlements on the Moon is one of the main plans of different space agencies for the near future.

To fulfill this goal the GLAMS project will develop structural elements for the construction of lunar bases, using a 3D printing approach that uses cement binders formulated starting from lunar soils (regoliths), according to the principle of exploitation of raw materials available on site.

The GLAMS project (Geopolymers for Lunar Additive Manufacturing and Sensing) is funded by the Italian Space Agency and it is a collaboration between the CISAS Center of the University of Padua, the ICMATE Center of the National Council of Research and WASP, a world leader in the production of large scale 3D printers.

The research group, led by Prof. Luca Valentini of the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua, aims at optimizing the "lunar cement" formulated from regolith, taking into account the specificities of the satellite's environmental conditions, including high temperature excursions, conditions of low gravity and atmospheric pressure, and the impact of micrometeorites.

“The first advantage is that of saving both money and fuel for the transport of the raw material from the Earth to the Moon. And the second advantage is because this kind of binder is more sustainable in terms of reduced CO2 emissions with respect to Portland cement”, Prof. Luca Valentini says.