NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a permanent moon habitat. The program will use lunar soil (regolith) to cut costs to build structures instead of transporting materials from Earth.
A few years ago, IISc researchers developed a method using Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria. This bacteria creates calcium carbonate crystals to bind soil particles with guar gum, forming eco-friendly, low-cost bricks from lunar and Martian soil simulants.
Now, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a bacteria-based technique to repair bricks that can be used to build lunar habitats if they get damaged in the moon’s harsh environment.
Researchers used a slurry of S. pasteurii, guar gum, and lunar soil simulant to repair artificial defects in sintered bricks. Over time, the slurry penetrated the cracks, and the bacterium produced calcium carbonate to fill them while generating biopolymers that acted as strong adhesives. This restored much of the brick’s original strength, reducing the need for replacements and increasing the lifespan of structures.
Sintering involves heating a mix of soil simulant and polyvinyl alcohol to high temperatures, producing exceptionally strong bricks suitable for regular housing. However, the lunar environment poses unique challenges, with extreme temperature swings (from 121°C to -133°C daily) and constant exposure to solar winds and meteorites. These harsh conditions can cause cracks in the bricks, potentially compromising the durability of structures built on the moon.
To address the issue of cracks in sintered bricks caused by harsh lunar conditions, researchers employed a slurry of S. pasteurii, guar gum, and lunar soil simulant. This slurry penetrated artificial defects, with the bacterium producing calcium carbonate to fill the gaps and biopolymers acting as adhesives to bind soil particles and restore the brick’s strength. This innovative approach enhances the durability of structures by reducing the need for replacements, ensuring longer-lasting builds in extreme environments.
Researchers initially doubted whether the bacteria would bond with sintered bricks but discovered that S. pasteurii solidified the slurry and adhered strongly to the bricks. These reinforced bricks demonstrated impressive thermal resilience, withstanding temperatures between 100°C and 175°C. The team plans to send a sample of S. pasteurii into space as part of the Gaganyaan mission to study its growth and behavior in microgravity.
Journal Reference:
Gupta N, Kulkarni R, Naik AR, Viswanathan K, Kumar A, Bacterial bio-cementation can repair space bricks, Frontiers in Space Technologies (2025). DOI: 10.3389/frspt.2025.1550526