PEORIA, Ill., May 5, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On Saturday, NASA awarded multi-planetary architectural and technology design agency AI SpaceFactory $500,000 for the successful construction of its Mars habitat MARSHA, giving us a glimpse into what the future of human life will look like on Mars. The 15-foot tall prototype was 3D printed during the final phase of NASA's 3D Printed Habitat Challenge and included three robotically-placed windows.
AI SpaceFactory was announced the 1st place winner out of over 60 challengers for the automation of its print – completed with nearly no human assistance in 30 hours – as well as its innovative biopolymer basalt composite, a biodegradable and recyclable material derived from natural materials found on Mars. After withstanding NASA's pressure, smoke, and impact testing, this material was found to be stronger and more durable than its concrete competitors.
"It's light, and it's strong, like an airplane. That's going to be very important for these types of habitats," said Lex Akers, Dean of the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology at Bradley University.
After spending 2 years developing construction technologies for Mars, AI SpaceFactory plans to bring its space-driven technologies back to Earth this year. Demonstrating the sustainable nature of their biopolymer composite, they will recycle the materials from MARSHA and re-use them to 3D print TERA, the first-ever space-tech eco habitat on Earth.
"We developed these technologies for Space, but they have the potential to transform the way we build on Earth," said David Malott, CEO and Founder of AI SpaceFactory. "By using natural, biodegradable materials grown from crops, we could eliminate the building industry's massive waste of unrecyclable concrete and restore our planet."
The first building of its kind, TERA is expected to launch on Indiegogo this month and will be available to anyone wanting to experience what sustainable life might be like on Mars. Combining an out-of-this-world lifestyle experience with a scientific and sustainable mission, it will emphasize the need for new, renewable construction technologies on this planet, while researching what's needed to enable life on a new one.
More information and high-res images: http://bit.ly/AISF-NASAChallenge
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About AI SpaceFactory
AI SpaceFactory is a multi-planetary architectural and technology design agency that's building for Earth and Space. The company was founded in 2017 by David Malott to create life-sustaining architecture for long-term missions to Mars, with the goal of revolutionizing the architecture of Earth. Today, AI SpaceFactory is advancing the boundaries of architecture through its Mars habitat MARSHA and its eco-earth habitat TERA. The company's team of architects, technologists, artists and engineers remain invested in finding and developing sustainable technologies on and beyond our world. Learn more at: http://www.aispacefactory.com
About MARSHA
MARSHA is AI SpaceFactory's innovative 3D printed Mars habitat. Built from a novel mixture of basalt fiber extracted from Martian rock and renewable bioplastic made from plants, its vertical shape and human-centric design marks a radical departure from previous Martian designs. A winner of the NASA 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, MARSHA has the potential to revolutionize the construction industry – in Space and on Earth. Learn more at: http://www.aispacefactory.com/marsha
About TERA
TERA is a futuristic home for this planet that offers a glimpse into our future life on Mars. Born out of MARSHA, AI SpaceFactory's Mars habitat, TERA is built from recycled, biodegradable materials that can be composted back into the soil at the end of its lifecycle. TERA is expected to launch Indiegogo and will be available as early as September 2019 to anyone wanting to experience what life will be like on Mars, here on Earth. Learn more at: [http://www.aispacefactory.com/tera
About NASA's 3D Printed Habitat Challenge
The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge is managed in partnership with NASA's Centennial Challenges program and Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. NASA's Centennial Challenges program is part of the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate, and is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
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