MSE and SIE Team Wins First Place for 3D-Printed Moondust Project

A team of University of Arizona engineers won first place at the Lockheed Martin ASCEND Propel Pitch Session. The presentation described their lunar regolith 3D printing technology, a manufacturing method that uses material from the moon’s surface to produce on-demand items – such as tools or parts for repair and refurbishment purposes. Technologies like these are critical for creating a sustainable deep space habitat in and around the moon,  a NASA overarching goal.

The group included MSE PhD student Anna Hayes, associate professor Krishna Muralidharan and professor Douglas Loy, as well as SIE PhD student Md Habibor Rahman and assistant professor Mohammed Shafae. 

“Winning first place in the highly competitive Lockheed Martin Propel Pitch is an outstanding achievement,” said SIE department head Young-Jun Son. “I am very proud of Habibor, Dr. Shafae, and other team members in the MSE Department. Additive manufacturing in hostile environments is an important research area that has tremendous potential in space, harsh geo-terrains, and battlefields.”

The competition, in which companies, organizations, and independent groups submitted two-minute videos describing ideas for a lunar payload concept, was held on Nov. 16-18, 2020 at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics ASCEND Conference. The five pitches were judged based on their ability to advance scientific knowledge, demonstrate new technologies or engage the public.

The first-place prize includes an exclusive tour of the Lockheed Martin Space facility in Denver, CO and a space exploration swag bundle. Additionally, team members won a VIP invitation to the launch viewing of Artemis 1 – a NASA program with the goal of landing “the first woman and the next man” on the moon by 2024.