Bechtel pledges $ 2m funding for moon infrastructure projects
Bechtel pledges $ 2m funding for moon infrastructure projects
Space always looks to be a calm , seemingly empty environment in the movies but that belies the physical and technological challenges of exploration — especially when it comes to developing moon infrastructure .
If we ’ re going to make moon landings more than the preserve of select astronauts , we will need to develop infrastructure and concrete structures – and , given the locational constraints , construction will need to be handled autonomously by robots .
Engineers from Bechtel are joining researchers from two US universities to develop technologies that could serve as the bedrock for our future lunar lifestyles . Colorado School of Mines , led by principal investigator Christopher Dreyer , is planning to develop tools and methods for autonomous landing pad construction on the moon ' s surface .
Missouri S & T , led by principal investigator Leslie Gertsch , will use magnetic and electrostatic technologies to more efficiently separate calcium- and aluminium-containing minerals from the Moon ' s soil – called regolith – to extract materials suitable for construction on the lunar surface .
The selected projects will receive up to $ 2mn over two years to develop their technologies .
“THIS TECHNOLOGY IS A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR BUSINESS , OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR INDUSTRY ”
SHANE CLARK GM ESTIMATING & TECHNICAL SERVICES , MACA
80 May 2022