32
edits
Changes
no edit summary
==Teams==
==Teams==
[[File:Bricks Payload.png|thumb|The bricks payload is operated via a Raspberry Pi to control the injection of water into the soil composite mixture to create a solid building material.|alt=|220x220px]]
'''MARS BRICKS'''
The bricks subteam experiments with methods of turning Martian and lunar soil into building materials for habitats and other structures. The team works with [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950061821024855 biopolymer-bound soil composite (BSC)], which is made of soil, protein binder, and water. BSC has similar compressive strength as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_cement Portland cement concrete], the world’s most common construction material. While concrete production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, BSC provides a possible carbon-neutral alternative and is also easy to produce from Martian resources. The team created a payload to autonomously create these Martian bricks in 0g (aboard the ISS), 1g (resting on Earth), and 2g (continuously spinning in a centrifuge). After winning a NASA contract, our payload was sent to the [https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html International Space Station] to test it's formation in 0g. You can learn more [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YAVmKYJ_OveaZ8SErLf6SCCOloECbddL/view?usp=sharing here.]
The team's most recent newsletter as of May 31st, 2023, can be found [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skGbPGsTtTYo_auUtEarNrJxH0tcDeoltGQybplwCXk/edit?pli=1 here.]
[[File:Polar Rover Prototype at First Testing Retreat.png|left|thumb|This early prototype rover's GPS capabilities were tested at the March 2023 team retreat in Portola Valley. |alt=|243x243px]]
[[File:Excavator Drum Prototype.jpg|thumb|The rotating drum of the lunar excavator attachment in the process of having its teeth replaced for a new test run.]]
'''MARS EXCAVATOR'''
'''MARS EXCAVATOR'''
==HOW TO JOIN:==
==HOW TO JOIN:==
Join SSI, hop on the slack, and join #mars, #mars-bricks, #mars-polar-rover, and #mars-excavator.
Join SSI, hop on the slack, and join [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CJ8RJN4KS #mars], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CPJ1A6KME #mars-bricks], [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/CP26XQU14 #mars-polar-rover], and [https://ssi-teams.slack.com/archives/C05G0RSMMM3 #mars-excavator].
{{Nowrap|Feel free to ping {{Leadership|Mars=True}} if you have any questions or just want to chat!}}
{{Nowrap|Feel free to ping {{Leadership|Mars=True}} if you have any questions or just want to chat!}}