研究公司fotec，奥地利应用科学大学的一部分，在包含“火星灰尘”的复合材料中印刷了一个微型冰屋和墙壁的角落。
The objects were created as part of the Technology Research Program at the欧洲航天局（ESA）总部位于法国巴黎，以证明使用行星的天然材料建造建筑的可能性。
3D打印结构无论目的地是什么
The 3D printed miniatures are made out of a composite ink containing Martian regolith simulant material ‘JSC-Mars-1A’. JSC-Mars-1A is made out of volcanic fragments refined by researchers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
在ESA网站上的帖子中, Fotec’s Christoph Buchner explains that phosphoric acid is used as a binding agent for the grains of dust to create a 3D printable material. The composite material is then extruded through a nozzle into successive layers.
布赫纳评论，
The hardened results demonstrate the technique has potential for hardware and structural manufacturing on a variety of planetary bodies – it does not depend on the destination. So this is a promising step towards ‘in-situ resource utilization’ – the concept of using as much local materials as possible during a planetary mission, to cut down on the launch mass and cost.
Making a life on Mars
Focusing on the potential for humans to one day colonize Mars,NASA的百年挑战要求参与者使用可回收或当地土著材料推销项目，以在红色星球上创建结构。
2016年10月，搜索（太空探索体系结构）和云AO（云架构办公室）协作赢得了挑战的第一阶段，并提出了3D印刷的建议冰屋。
NASA has since在佛罗里达大学的Sudipta Seal教授的帮助下, interim chair of the Materials Science and Engineering at the university, to find a way to build structures on Mars.
但是，此类项目不仅保留用于外太空的建设。使用土著，现场材料的能力对与地球土壤的3D打印有益。这对于在远程和资源贫乏的位置建造将很有用。
此类发展是在西班牙巴塞罗那加泰罗尼亚高级建筑学院（IAAC）等地方进行研究的关键驱动力，后者合作制作“世界的第一个” 3D印刷桥。
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特色图像显示了火星表面上的Chasma Boreale的透视图。图片通过ESA/DLR/FU Berlin，CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO图像
