Astronauts will "print" their homes on Mars - new discovery

Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have created a biomaterial for 3D printing shelters on Mars using local resources. The base consists of sand simulating Martian soil, gelatin, and genetically modified yeast. The material showed a strength of 10–12 MPa, comparable to low-strength concrete. The technology has so far been tested on samples measuring 45×30 mm and requires scaling.

Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have developed a biomaterial that could potentially allow astronauts to "print" living structures on Mars using local resources. The material consists of sand simulating Martian soil, gelatin, and genetically modified yeast cells that produce adhesive proteins. The idea came to researcher Jishen Qiu after observing freeze-dried fruits, which become harder after processing. The technology has been tested on samples measuring 45×30 mm, showing a compressive strength of 10–12 MPa, comparable to low-strength concrete. The porous structure makes the structures lighter, and the lower gravity on Mars potentially allows for multi-story buildings. The system could be closed-loop: old structures are recycled, and yeast is regrown. However, practical application is far off: the material has only been tested on Earth, and scaling would require hundreds of tons of cargo from Earth. The technology also uses gelatin and other imported components that would need to be produced locally in the future.