Researchers propose using chitin from insect exoskeletons to create tools and habitats on Mars, offering a low-cost, in-situ solution.
With ambitions to establish permanent bases on Mars after the Moon, space agencies and private companies face significant hurdles, including sourcing affordable, locally adapted building materials.
Traditional concrete is impractical due to its high water demands, and transport costs are astronomical—NASA estimates nearly $20,000 per kilogram to orbit.
Prior ideas include 3D printing with Sorel cement or using urea from urine as a plasticizer for lunar bases. However, a recent PLOS ONE study from the Singapore University of Technology and Design notes these methods still demand specialized equipment and substantial energy.
The researchers advocate chitin, a key component in insect cuticles, crustacean shells, spider exoskeletons, fungal cell walls, and fish scales.
On Mars, chitin could be sourced from insects, which provide high-protein food for crews. As insect chitin offers limited human nutrition, extracting it for construction won't compete with food supplies, emerging as a zero-waste byproduct.
Using simple chemistry, the team dissolved chitosan (derived from shrimp) in acetic acid—a fermentation byproduct—and blended it with Martian soil simulant, in-situ water, and basic chemicals to form a chitin-based material.
They fabricated items like a functional key for tightening hex bolts, which, while not metal-strong, suffices for everyday tasks, per lead author Javier Fernandez.
The material also served as makeshift mortar to seal pipe leaks and enabled 3D printing of a Martian habitat scale model in under two hours.
This proof-of-concept requires further validation, such as Mars-like cold, dry conditions testing. Still, the authors argue these bio-based materials are vital for Earth's sustainability and humanity's interplanetary future.
