Test & Measurement

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Contour Crafting: Robotic Construction of Lunar and Martian Infrastructure

Economically viable and reliable building systems and tool sets are being examined and tested by NASA for extraterrestrial habitat and infrastructure buildup. This NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) project from the University of Southern California's Center for Rapid Automated Fabrication Technologies (CRAFT) uses a unique architecture, weaving an automated building technology called Contour Crafting with designs for assisting rapid buildup of an initial operational capability lunar base. A high-fidelity simulation at NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) facility will help evaluate the feasibility of adapting and using the CC technology for extraterrestrial application.