Packing light is the idea behind the Zero Launch Mass 3-D Printer. Instead of loading up on heavy building supplies, a large scale 3-D printer capable of using recycled plastic waste and dirt at the destination as construction material would save mass and money when launching robotic precursor missions to build infrastructure on the Moon or Mars in preparation for human habitation. To make this a reality, Nathan Gelino, a researcher engineer with NASA’s Swamp Works at Kennedy Space Center, measured the temperature of a test specimen from the 3-D printer Tuesday as an early step in characterizing printed material strength properties. Material temperature plays a large role in the strength of bonds between layers.

Nathan Gelino, a research engineer, manually loads materials into the Zero Launch Mass 3-D Printer at Kennedy Space Center’s Swamp Works Tuesday. The 3-D printer heated the pellets to about 600 degrees F and extruded them to produce specimens for material strength properties testing. Automated pellet delivery system will be added to the printer soon.

Researchers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are developing a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer at the center's Swamp Works. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. This will prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The Kennedy team is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

A Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer is being developed by researchers in Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. This will prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The Kennedy team is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

A Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer is being tested at the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. This will prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The Kennedy team is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Researchers demonstrate a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer in Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. This will prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The Kennedy team is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Nathan Gelino, a NASA research engineer at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is working on a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer in the center's Swamp Works that can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations here on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. Gelino and his team are working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Research engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are working on a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer at the center's Swamp Works. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The group is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Nathan Gelino, a NASA research engineer at Kennedy Space Center in Florida displays a 3-D printed cylinder used for compression testing. Engineers at the center’s Swamp Works measured how much force it takes to break the structure before moving on to 3-D printing with a simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. Next, Gelino and his group are working on a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer that can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, even for troops in remote locations here on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses these pellets to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. Gelino and his team are working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers are being used to test a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer in the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses these pellets to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The group is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Research engineers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are working on a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer at the center's Swamp Works. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The group is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

A Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer is being tested at the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The group is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

A Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer is being tested at the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The printer can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, and even for troops in remote locations on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses pellets made from simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. The group is working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Nathan Gelino, a NASA research engineer at Kennedy Space Center in Florida displays a 3-D printed cylinder used for compression testing. Engineers at the center’s Swamp Works measured how much force it takes to break the structure before moving on to 3-D printing with a simulated lunar regolith, or dirt, and polymers. Next, Gelino and his group are working on a Zero Launch Mass 3-D printer that can be used for construction projects on the Moon and Mars, even for troops in remote locations here on Earth. Zero launch mass refers to the fact that the printer uses these pellets to prove that space explorers can use resources at their destination instead of taking everything with them, saving them launch mass and money. Gelino and his team are working with Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a system that can 3-D print barracks in remote locations on Earth, using the resources they have where they are.

Shown is a Zero Launch Mass 3D printer on July 28, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Swamp Works. A team at the Florida spaceport tested the printer as part of the Relevant Environment Additive Construction Technology (REACT) project. Among the key objectives of the project is developing an architectural and structural design for a shelter that provides protection to habitable assets on the lunar surface. Testing REACT derives from NASA’s 2020 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity with AI SpaceFactory – an architectural and construction technology company and winner of NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.

An engineer with contractor Jacobs prepares for a modal tap test on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis I in a room under the zero deck of the mobile launcher inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 16, 2021. The Exploration Ground systems and Jacobs team, along with the SLS team from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are performing the tests with support from personnel at other NASA centers. Engineers are using the mass simulator for Orion and the Orion stage adapter structural test article for the modal test. The tests will determine the different modes of vibration with the recently stacked and integrated SLS rocket before launch of the Artemis I mission. Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

An engineer with contractor Jacobs prepares for a modal tap test on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis I in a room under the zero deck of the mobile launcher inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 16, 2021. The Exploration Ground systems and Jacobs team, along with the SLS team from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are performing the tests with support from personnel at other NASA centers. Engineers are using the mass simulator for Orion and the Orion stage adapter structural test article for the modal test. The tests will determine the different modes of vibration with the recently stacked and integrated SLS rocket before launch of the Artemis I mission. Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

A team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida poses with a Zero Launch Mass 3D printer on July 28, 2022, at the Florida spaceport’s Swamp Works, as part of the Relevant Environment Additive Construction Technology (REACT) project. Shown from left to right are: Tommy Lipscomb, materials engineer; Tesia Irwin, chemist; Leonel Herrera, NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships (NIFS) intern; Nathan Gelino, principal investigator; Matt Nugent, robotics engineer; Evan Bell, robotics engineer; and Nilab Azim, chemist. Among the key objectives of the project is developing an architectural and structural design for a shelter that provides protection to habitable assets on the lunar surface. Testing REACT derives from NASA’s 2020 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity with AI SpaceFactory – an architectural and construction technology company and winner of NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.