To build shelters and production equipment, astronauts may need to bring only one key ingredient – the minerals present in inanimate Murcian soils to be able to do the rest of the work, a new study released on Wednesday said.
The key ingredient is chitin – a fibrous substance that is a component of cell walls in fungi, exoskeleton of crustaceans and insects and scales of fish and amphibians.
Chitin Researchers at the University of Singapore’s Institute of Technology and Design said that surface materials can be combined by early Martian settlers to create new materials and use less power without special equipment.
The chitin to be used on Mars, the study said, could come from insects. Given their high protein content, insects can be part of the diet for crude missions. The authors said the extraction of chitin would be a byproduct of the crew’s food supply and consumption.
To test their theory, scientists combined chitosan, an organic polymer made from shrimp, and a mineral designed to mimic the properties of Martian clay.
Water and some basic chemistry were used in the manufacturing process. According to the study, water can be obtained from the ice on Mars. Sodium hydroxide can be made from Martin clay. And acetic acid can be made by the fermentation of microorganisms – such as food waste.
The researchers then used the material to model the ranch and the Martian dwelling, which they said enabled rapid production of materials such as basic equipment and rigid shelters.
The wrench the scientists built was not as strong as the one made of metal, but Fernandez said it met NASA’s criteria for “no-complex space applications.”
Fernandez described the research as proof of concept. The team has not tested objects in conditions that mimic the cold and dry atmosphere of Mars.
“We have a way … to build buildings from just one material into tools ranging from 3D printing to mold casting.”
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