hey @NASA was there some plan you weren't telling us about
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) March 24, 2023
Sir Terry Pratchett was correct: Everything will be all right, as long as you’ve got a potato…
Engineers have created an intriguing concrete alternative using simulated Martian or lunar soil, potato starch and salt.
The “space concrete” is twice as strong as conventional concrete, the researchers say. They hope the new material will eventually facilitate construction efforts on the moon and Mars.
In a new study published in the journal Open Engineering (opens in new tab), two researchers from the University of Manchester in England demonstrate the effectiveness of potato starch as a binder to create the novel “StarCrete.” …
Stronger concretes typically last longer, but that isn’t StarCrete’s major advantage as a potential building material on the moon or Mars. The scientists estimate that just 55 pounds (25 kilograms) of dehydrated potatoes could be used to produce nearly half a ton of StarCrete, which is enough to sculpt over 200 bricks. For context, you need about 7,500 bricks to construct a three-bedroom house here on Earth.
Typical materials needed to mix concrete come with considerable weight. For future lunar and Martian constructions, as with any space mission, weight reduction is a big priority. Whether it be a satellite, cargo to the International Space Station or materials to build a house on the moon, the heavier a payload, the more cost-prohibitive it is to launch into space. So, the less weight, the better…
Sunday Morning Open Thread: <em>Astro-Science!</em>Post + Comments (169)