Iron can be microbially extracted from Lunar and Martian regolith simulants and 3D printed into tough structural materials.

ABSTRACT: In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is increasingly acknowledged as an essential requirement for the construction of sustainable extra-terrestrial colonies. Even with decreasing launch costs, the ultimate goal of establishing colonies must be the usage of resources found at the destination of interest. Typical approaches towards ISRU are often constrained by the mass and energy requirements of transporting processing machineries, such as rovers and massive reactors, and the vast amount of consumables needed. Application of self-reproducing bacteria for the extraction of resources is a promising approach to reduce these pitfalls. In this work, the bacterium Shewanella oneidensis was used to reduce three different types of Lunar and Martian regolith simulants, allowing for the magnetic extra

SUBMITTER: Castelein SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8081250 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature