the new york-based ‘multi-planetary’ design agency, AI spacefactory, gives us a closer look of what life on mars might actually be like as they receive 1st place in the finale of NASA‘s 3D printed habitat challenge. after previous stages of the competition, the final phase saw structures built head to head over a duration of 30 hours and 3 days. the winning 15-foot tall prototype, called ‘MARSHA’, prevailed due to its level of autonomy and material performance, seeing the team scoop the prize of $500,000.

MARSHA was robotically 3D printed in 30 hours, winning the NASA centennial challenge based on the level of autonomy and material performance

all images courtesy of AI spacefactory

in addition to being built with nearly no human assistance, AI spacefactory was also awarded the top place for MARSHA’s innovative biopolymer basalt composite – a biodegradable and recyclable material derived from natural materials found on mars. after withstanding NASA’s pressure, smoke, and impact testing, this material was found to be stronger and more durable than its concrete competitors. ‘it’s light, and it’s strong, like an airplane. that’s going to be very important for these types of habitats,’ comments lex akers, dean of the caterpillar college of engineering and technology at bradley university.



AI spacefactory autonomously constructed their prototype mars entire in-situ, lifting an industrial robot 13-feet into the air on a forklift to 3D print the vertical, egg-shape habitat

after spending 2 years developing construction technologies for mars, AI spacefactory plans to bring its space-driven technologies back to earth this year. demonstrating the sustainable nature of their biopolymer composite, they will recycle the materials from MARSHA and re-use them to 3d print TERA – the first-ever space-tech eco habitat on earth. ‘we developed these technologies for space, but they have the potential to transform the way we build on earth,’ said david malott, CEO and founder of AI spacefactory. ‘by using natural, biodegradable materials grown from crops, we could eliminate the building industry’s massive waste of unrecyclable concrete and restore our planet.’

the first building of its kind, TERA is expected to launch on indiegogo this month and will be available to anyone wanting to experience what sustainable life might be like on mars. combining an out-of-this-world lifestyle experience with a scientific and sustainable mission, it will emphasize the need for new, renewable construction technologies on this planet, while researching what’s needed to enable life on a new one.



AI spacefactory robotically manoeuvred their skylight into place atop the 3D printed structure in the final seconds of the 30-hour, 3-day head to head competition



the 15-foot tall prototype was 3D printed with roughly 550 layers of a recyclable biopolymer-basalt fiber composite, varying in thickness from 3 inches at its base to 1 inch at the top



following NASA’s crush test, spectators helped to collect broken pieces of the 3D printed prototype, which AI spacefactory will recycle to print their proposed earth habitat, TERA



NASA placed a smoke charge inside the completed structure to observe the air tightness of the 3D printed enclosure, which included several windows which were robotically picked and placed



AI spacefactory’s technology, developed for 3D printing buildings on mars, makes use of renewable and recyclable materials for applications on earth



AI spacefactory previously won 2nd place in the virtual design phase of the NASA centennial challenge with their proposed mars habitat – MARSHA



AI spacefactory is working with NASA to develop technologies to build planetary habitats on mars



AI spacefactory plans to construct its first earth habitat, TERA, near new york city later this year using material recycled from their prototype mars habitat



TERA is a sustainable eco-habitat 3D printed with renewable and recyclable materials, launching on indiegogo soon

the AI spacefactory team holds the international flag of planet earth after winning NASA’s centennial challenge

project info:

project name: ‘MARSHA’ and ‘TERA’

design: AI spacefactory

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edited by: lynne myers | designboom