Glams Project

Funded by ASI, the Italian Space Agency, the GLAMS Project aims to develop structures for lunar bases by 3D printing with lunar soil. The project aims to reduce costs and environmental impact by using local materials instead of transporting them from Earth to the Moon. Coordinated by the University of Padua, the project began by developing a geopolymer through the chemical activation of lunar regolith. The mixture was then optimized by ICMATE of Genoa and WASP to ensure both structural integrity and printability. The ‘lunar cement’ was then 3D printed using both the Delta WASP 2040 Clay and the Manual Feeding Extruder. Although conducted on a small scale, the project demonstrated the material’s printability, paving the way for future advancements. But there’s more: geopolymer materials with the same base as those used in the project could also have significant applications on Earth, as their production generates up to 80% less CO2 than traditional cement.