I do not know how strong LEGO brick-built buildings would be. However, I do believe the studded bricks offer a quick and easy building solution, especially in areas where you have limited access to tools like, say, the Moon.
Well, the Moon is where the European Space Agency (ESA) is exploring the possibility of using LEGO brick-inspired building systems to create shelters for astronauts visiting the moon as part of the Artemis program.
Inspired by the LEGO system in play, scientists at the RSA have used dust from a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite to 3D print LEGO brick-like bricks to help design shelters for astronauts on the Moon.
This is to test if space materials could be used to create structures and not so much to study if the studded brick concept would work or not. In any case, I am sure the LEGO system helps since it has proven it is easy to build with little to no tools.
This study is critical to the mission since the actual structures will be built on the Moon using materials sourced locally, i.e. on the lunar surface. So it will help to understand if space material could even be made into building blocks.
The donor meteorite is a class L3-6 meteorite that was originally discovered in North-West Africa in 2000. However, unlike the space material on the moon which is regolith, the meteorite is one solid piece.
So to simulate the space material, the space rock found in Africa had to be grounded and mixed with a small amount of polylactide and regolith simulant, and then the resulting loose material to 3D print bricks similar to LEGO bricks. The resulting brick is aptly called ESA Space Bricks. Kind of a snazzy name, if you ask me.
If anyone’s curious, you may check out the ESA Space Bricks in person in select LEGO stores in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain, and Australia plus the LEGO House, in Billund, Denmark. Skip ahead for the list of LEGO stores where you can see the ESA Space Bricks in person.
USA:
The LEGO Store, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota
The LEGO Store, Disney Springs, Florida
The LEGO Store, Water Tower Place, Chicago
The LEGO Store, Disneyland Resort, California
The LEGO Store, 5th Avenue, New York
Canada:
The LEGO Store, West Edmonton
UK:
The LEGO Store, Leicester Square, London
Germany:
The LEGO Store, München Zentrum
The LEGO Store, Cologne
Denmark:
The LEGO Store, Copenhagen
LEGO House, Billund
Spain:
The LEGO Store, Barcelona
France:
The LEGO Store, Paris
Netherlands:
The LEGO Store, Amsterdam
Australia:
The LEGO Store, Pitt Street Mall, Sydney
