Winning teams created digital representations of the physical and functional characteristics of a house on Mars using specialized software tools. A sustainable shelter for a crew of four astronauts on a mission to Mars, using construction techniques enabled by 3D printing technology. Teams had to come up with a solution that tackles the issues of transporting materials from Earth to Mars, as well as the differences in atmosphere and landscape on the new planet.
The judges interviewed and evaluated submissions from 18 teams from all over the world and selected these teams:
The judges interviewed and evaluated submissions from 18 teams from all over the world and selected these teams:
- Team Zopherus of Rogers, Arkansas - $20,957.95
- AI. SpaceFactory of New York - $20,957.24
- Kahn-Yates of Jackson, Mississippi - $20,622.74
- SEArch+/Apis Cor of New York - $19,580.97
- Northwestern University of Evanston, Illinois - $17,881.10
Five teams to share a $100,000 prize in the latest stage of the agency’s 3D-Printed Habitat Centennial Challenge competition.
“We are thrilled to see the success of this diverse group of teams that have approached this competition in their own unique styles,” said Monsi Roman, program manager for NASA’s Centennial Challenges. “They are not just designing structures, they are designing habitats that will allow our space explorers to live and work on other planets. We are excited to see their designs come to life as the competition moves forward.”
As NASA advances deep space exploration, reliable life-supporting habitats will be essential. But creating a structure on the surface of Mars is an extraordinary challenge considering the extensive limits on transporting materials and the differences in atmosphere and landscape. The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge aims to further the progression of sustainable shelters that will someday occupy the Moon, Mars or beyond by pushing citizen inventors to develop new technologies capable of additively manufacturing a habitat using indigenous resources with, or without, recyclable materials.
