ISRO Plans to Build Igloos for Future Outposts on Moon

With a vision to set up outposts on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has begun work on building “igloos” on its surface.

According to the report, ISRO is planning to build the ‘lunar habitats’ by sending robots and 3D printers to the Moon and by using the soil there, among other material.

ISRO, India’s premier space research organization, has made progress with a working model of the 3D printer that they plan to use during the mission, in the terrain test facility.

“We are planning to use the Moon as an outpost - like missions in Antarctica. In the long run, the space station is likely to be scrapped. Many countries, including the US, are considering building more permanent structures on the Moon and working out of there. When that happens, we want India to have contributed," said M Annadurai, Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC).

The ISRO scientists have already carved out five designs of the potential habitats. They are working on procure the technology soon, even though the mission plan is not ready yet.

“In the future, astronauts going to the Moon will spend more than a few hours there,” he said.

"To keep them safe and help them work from there, we need smart materials, which is what we are focusing on building," he added.

He believes the Agency has mastered the process of creating lunar simulant (material that is similar to the properties of the lunar soil), and has about 60 tonnes of it. The simulant’s properties match around 99.6 percent with the samples brought from the Moon by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Apollo missions.