Bradley Partners With NASA to Build on Mars

October 7, 2016

Bradley University is teaming up with NASA to facilitate the 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge (3DP), Structural Member Competition. This is a collaboration between NASA, Bradley and industry leaders including Caterpillar, Bechtel and Brick and Mortar Ventures to continue advancing critical systems needed for human space exploration to Mars and deeper into the solar system than ever before.

Teams will develop technologies to build a habitat on Mars by using 3D printing technologies and mission recycled materials and/or local indigenous materials. Dr. Lex Akers, Dean of the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology at Bradley, says this competition could change the future of the manufacturing process as we know it and generate materials and technology to revolutionize the construction of buildings. “Currently three-dimensional printing is applied to relatively small scale items, but NASA is interested in allowing astronauts to build habitats on Mars using this process. The earthbound uses of this technology could be massive.” 

The journey to Mars will demand many ambitious technology advances,” said John Vickers, principal technologist in the area of advanced manufacturing for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. “This challenge in the cutting-edge area of 3D printing will bring about potentially high-impact ideas that we can't realize elsewhere.”  

Bradley’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Walter Zakahi, says innovation, collaboration and experiential learning, three of Bradley University’s core values, are at the heart of this program. “The 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge provides an unparalleled opportunity for students and faculty to network, create relationships with mentors and explore new ideas as they partner in creating solutions for our world and beyond. Real world learning opportunities such as this, position students to develop new, innovative and disruptive ideas that could change the future while enhancing their overall educational experience.”

This partnership also highlights the relevance of the University’s planned Convergence Center project, a joint engineering and business academic program to enhance innovation through collaboration, according to Bradley President Gary Roberts. “This is the perfect example of how engineering and business ideas converge to create a solution.  The Convergence Center is a new way of thinking about education that blends our engineering and business curricula and experiences.  It houses both colleges in one building which facilitates collaborative learning, experiences and research.  Like this project, it creates a collaborative environment where the students work with each other and with real world university partners on projects with regional, national and international impact.  The outcomes can change the world.” 

The 3DP, Structural Membership Competition has a $1,100,000 prize purse and is part two of a three part competition series.  Registration will remain open until January 31, 2017.  To register for or get additional information on this competition visit: http://bradley.edu/challenge.  The challenge will take place August 24-27, 2017 at the Caterpillar Edwards Demonstration and Learning Center.