NASA Suggests Growing Mushroom Houses on the Moon – How Is It Possible?

8th Oct 2024
NASA Suggests Growing Mushroom Houses on the Moon – How Is It Possible?

Sounds like a trippy sci-fi scenario? But it’s not. NASA is currently exploring the possibility of growing future buildings on the lunar surface out of mushrooms and space dust. Mushroom houses can be an ecological and low-cost solution for future settlements.

Space exploration has reached a new level – humans are going to build houses on the Moon, and it may happen really soon. Within the next 16 years the Moon is predicted to become habitable. 

mushroom houses on the Moon concept pics
Artist rendering of a mycoculture rover or ‘Winnebago’ for moon- or planet-based travel Credit: redhouse studios/NASA

Sending traditional building materials into space is a significant challenge, as it would be extraordinarily costly and demand an immense amount of effort. However, it appears that NASA experts have found an unusual solution for building future lunar structures, which could one day serve as homes for people in the foreseeable future. 

The space agency recently awarded a $2 million contract to a research group at NASA’s Ames Research Center to further study and develop ” microtexture” – a discipline that involves building out of mycelium, a fungus’s root-like structure.

Bricks produced using mycelium
Bricks produced using mycelium, yard waste and wood chips as a part of the myco-architecture project. Similar materials could be used to build habitats on the Moon or Mars.
Credits: NASA

Mushroom Houses: How Will It Work on the Moon?

For this project NASA is partnered with Redhouse, a Cleveland-based architecture firm. The concept is called ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilisation) which means you build with what you have there – water and regolith (lunar dust). As it turns out, that is more than enough to feed some fungi, which can become a good alternative to traditional building materials, being stronger than concrete.

The construction material will be transported to the Moon in a small package containing a mixture of fungal spores, water, and algae. The package will grow an outer shell, which will eventually harden into a sturdy, livable habitat.

mushroom houses on the Moon concept pics
Artist rendering of a mycoculture rover or ‘Winnebago’ for moon- or planet-based travel Credit: redhouse studios/NASA

Using mushrooms as building material is not only much cheaper, but also could protect space inhabitants from radiation, provide insulation against extreme temperatures. Furthermore, mushrooms can grow quickly and the entire building can potentially emerge in one to two months.

Redhouse has already been applying similar technology to confront challenges here on Earth. In Namibia, for example, a programme uses mycelium bricks to build housing for climate refugees while simultaneously growing edible mushrooms to address food scarcity issues.

Although experiments on our planet have been successful, there are still some risks, as growing structures in space might come with unforeseen complications. For example, the mushroom structure might be not strong enough or won’t provide the necessary insulation.  

houses on the moon photos
Artist rendering of a mycostructure interior: a bedroom in space. Credit: NASA

To address these concerns, NASA plans to send a concept model of these mycotecture structures into space in 2028 as part of the launch of the commercial space station, Starlab.

If the project is successful, living on the Moon in a cosy, warm house made out of mushrooms and space dust could soon become a reality.

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