LEGO x ESA Space Bricks

While several space agencies have announced plans to build semi-permanent structures on the Moon, they're all faced with the same challenge: Earth-built materials would be prohibitively difficult to transport to and from the lunar surface. The European Space Agency has been experimenting with using regolith — the sand-like material that covers the Moon's surface — as a construction material and has completed a proof of concept with their LEGO Space Bricks. 3D-printed, the grey bricks use meteorite dust in place of regolith, and while they look a little rough, they snap together just like the real thing, suggesting that similar bricks could be printed and constructed on the Moon itself, removing the need for costly transport of materials to and from Earth. The ESA Space Bricks are displayed in select LEGO Retail Stores and the LEGO House in Billund, Denmark through September 20th.