Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical and Civil Engineering

First Advisor

Kim-Doang Nguyen

Second Advisor

Andrew Palmer

Third Advisor

Anand Balu Nellippallil

Fourth Advisor

Troy V. Nguyen

Abstract

The Moon Adaptive Technology for Extraterrestrial Architectural Robotics (MATEAR) focuses on the development of an autonomous robotic system capable of providing structural building blocks directly from lunar regolith. As a sustained human presence on the Moon becomes a necessity, the costly and limited payload capacity associated with transporting construction goods from Earth creates a critical challenge. MATEAR addresses this problem through in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), integrating a regolith processing system onto a remote operated vehicle. The proposed system is designed to collect lunar dust, mechanically compact the material, and apply thermal treatment to enhance cohesion through sintering. These regolith-made bricks can be used to construct functional and necessary infrastructure, such as habitats, roads, landing pads, and can be use as radiation shielding. Unlike other regolith additive manufacturing methods that rely on high energy consumption and other processed materials, MATEAR emphasizes on simplified system offering a more simple, energy-efficient, and scalable solution for extraterrestrial construction. By enabling autonomous, locally sourced infrastructure development, it supports long-term lunar missions, reduces dependence on Earth-based supply chains, and establishes a technological foundation for future exploration missions to Mars, while also presenting potential applications for construction in resource-limited environments on Earth.

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