Lunar construction solution: Chinese Super Mason

Abstract

Supporting the goal to develop the habitat for people to work and live safely and sustainably on the moon, the Lunar construction robot is typically designed with 3D printing system based on laser sintering technique with Lunar soil. Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) propose a novel robotic system for Lunar construction entitled CSM: the Chinese Super Mason, combining on-site prefabrication of bricks and arch segments with Lunar soil and multi-structural automated assembly processes. CSM consists of a compound fabrication system composed of 6-axis robotic manipulator and automated sintering fabricator carried on an autonomous limbed vehicle platform. As a case study, a 2.8-m-long, 1.6-m-wide prefabricated structure for Lunar Base was successfully assembled with an experimental platform. Benefits and limitations of CSM and its experimental platform were identified and analyzed. Finally, prospections and exploratory steps toward the future of Chinese Lunar Base are also discussed along with the proposed CSM applications for Lunar construction.