3D Printing Habitable Structures on Mars Brings New Possibilities on Earth

An experimental program to 3D print habitable structures on Mars also presents new possibilities for affordable housing on Earth. Kurt Maldovan of Jacobs shares his work.

As NASA explores what it will take to colonize Mars and other planets, one thing is clear: we won’t be able to build structures there the way we currently do on Earth. Kurt Maldovan shares how the engineers at Jacobs are developing a system for Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement (ACME) which can autonomously 3D print structures from regolith (rock) and waterless binders in advance of the arrival of human explorers. The same system also holds potential for military use and emergency housing after disasters on Earth, since they can create a 500-square-foot structure in 40 hours, compared with the current minimum of five days. The same system can also be used to build affordable housing in modern cities to meet the needs of the 1.6 billion people who are expected to be without quality housing by 2025.

About the speaker

Kurt Maldovan is a digital engineering lead at Jacobs, where he actively develops and implements technology-based strategies and provides a comprehensive BIM/ virtual design and construction toolset, enabling collaboration, model sharing, and visualization. He is a graduate of Penn State University's Architectural Engineering Program with a focus on Construction Management. He has been a featured presenter, panelist, or moderator at over 50 national and international conferences.

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