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Building robot “Charlotte”: spider machine to print houses and moon bases
At the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, the Australian companies Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology presented an unusual construction robot called Charlotte. The spider-like robot is designed to construct buildings from locally available materials such as sand, earth, or rubble – both on Earth and on the moon. The concept combines robotics with 3D printing technology for house construction and is aimed at automated, resource-saving construction processes.
Charlotte works according to the principle of additive manufacturing: The robot picks up raw materials, binds them with a proprietary extrusion system and dispenses them layer by layer like a 3D printer. According to Robotics & Automation News, a 200 square metre house can be built in less than 24 hours. The developers promise significantly lower energy and labour requirements compared to conventional construction methods.
At the presentation in Sydney, the company showed a scaled-down prototype demonstrating the basic principles of the system. However, the actual concept goes far beyond terrestrial applications: Charlotte was deliberately designed to be lightweight and foldable to be suitable for space missions. The machine is designed to be compactly foldable and transportable for use on extraterrestrial surfaces.
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The developers see Charlotte as a potential tool for the construction of lunar habitats or research stations as part of NASA’s Artemis missions. “We need completely new construction equipment on the moon,” explain the developers. “Charlotte’s agile and adaptable structure enables buildings to be erected quickly, even under extreme conditions.”
Government funding and ambitious goals
The project is supported by the Space+ programme of the Australian state of New South Wales, which is being implemented by the SmartSat consortium. Clyde Webster, founding director of Crest Robotics, describes Charlotte as a “giant, mobile 3D printer” that could combat housing shortages and increase productivity in the construction industry. Jan Golembiewski, co-founder of Earthbuilt Technology, summarises the concept succinctly: “Raw materials in, walls out.” According to him, the machine could replace the labour of more than a hundred bricklayers.
Similar to other 3D printing processes in the construction industry, the advantage lies in the material savings and the ability to realise complex shapes. While conventional concrete printing processes usually rely on prefabricated material mixtures, Charlotte is designed to be more flexible and able to process various materials available on site. The exact composition of the binders and the details of the extrusion process have not yet been disclosed by the developers.
Technical hurdles and unanswered questions
Despite the ambitious goals, the developers face considerable challenges. The prototype is still at an early stage and numerous technical difficulties need to be clarified before fully-fledged buildings can be constructed on the ground. These include material tests, energy supply, autonomy of the control system and compliance with construction standards and static requirements.
There are further hurdles for use in space: the machine must be able to function under lunar gravity, in a vacuum, with extreme temperature fluctuations and under dust and radiation exposure. The logistics of transport, material extraction on site and the reliability of autonomous operation also pose considerable technical challenges.
Nevertheless, Neda Mohammadi from the University of Sydney sees potential in construction robotics to counter the labour shortage and accelerate construction projects. The technology could take the pressure off human teams and allow them to focus on more complex and creative tasks. The developers are actively seeking co-operation partners and additional funding from space agencies and industry partners to drive development and testing forward.
Focus on earthly applications
Despite the spectacular vision of lunar construction, the immediate plans are focussed on terrestrial applications. If Charlotte or similar robots were actually able to build houses quickly and with low emissions, this could help solve global housing crises. The approach would not only create affordable housing, but also reduce pressure on labour, materials and carbon budgets.
(vza)
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This article was originally published in
German.
It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
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