No, even on earth with cement, deformation during solidify is still a big problem even with special material (solidify much quicker), and on moon , there’s a pressure problem
China's Space Program News Thread
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Extrusion of an overhang on moon gravity (1/6th weight force) with a faster cooling material may be feasible... if the silica can be filtered as the key material it will be very fast cooling.
If slower cooling gives more desirable results (e.g. weld strength between layers, reduced stress within material) or a thicker wall is needed, maybe a second or additional staggered nozzles on the same head can solve the problem. If the various extrusion nozzles were adjustable in angle and vertical clearance that would be very versatile.
With a slight enough taper in your large diameter sections, overhang isn't an issue, and at a small diameter a larger overhang is better supported (e.g. moving to a sharper taper leading to cap off, causing an egg shape).
Given the cooling speed, you could probably get away with fairly outrageous overhangs. Imagine a molten glass extruder on earth, extruding "very cold honey" consistency molten glass.
And just inflate / pressurize afterwards whilst checking for leaks.
With dexterous enough extruders (e.g. screw driven powder feed of filtered silica & additives, leading in to heating unit and nozzle, on an ABB robot arm type setup) you could probably also extrude vertical / longitudinal reinforcement hoops around the outside if needed after the main structure was created.
With proper assistance (material& equipment), all above is achievable, but I think the point of this design is to minimize material/equipment you need to carry from earth to Luna and speed up the construction as much as possible. In short, it’s just a concept emphasizing that 3D print tech combined with Luna soil could really make a difference.
In reality, my thought is :using inflatable compartment and aluminum frame as main structure and 3D printed structure as reinforcement , after all, I would assume by then we could throw enough payload to Luna
According to this paper, the current best thinking of China's moon base is inflated structure covered with lunar soil. Rigid prefabricated metal structure is best for everything except delivery to the moon surface. The limitation is not much of payload mass but rather the size. 3D printing is the easiest in terms of delivering, the challenge is production on the moon surface of the lunar "concrete".
Future director of the space program right there!
The planetarium is really crappy.
I even doubt that the maker of the video is not educated in China. China doesn't have any engine named J-2. Only Rocketdyn in US has its LH/LO engine called J-2. In Chinese it is just 煤油 (Kerosene), not RP-1.
Reading this article led me to read the unfortunate and irritating article from this autistic looking dude, James Palmer who himself seems to be mixed of Asian lineage based on his profile picture at FP magazine. A quick scan of his work, one would be quick to find that none are neutral or even objective about China, it's leaders, it's complex issues and the successes that the CPC manage to accomplish despite the supposed numerous cock ups by the most incompetent and competent authoritarian regime in the history of the world, the CCP.
His analysis are nothing but pure vile, distortion of facts, and narrative that drives his "rigid ideology" of freedom and western superiority over Chinese communism. The dude has a special hard on for Pres. Xi Jinping even making Xi's rise within the CPC as nothing but guaranteed due to his family connections and position of his father - without mentioning how Xi's family was purged, how he was sent to the country side to do labour work etc...
I don't mind critical look and examination of the CPC and it's leadership to get a full picture of the country's leadership and how it forged success despite the many obstacles both from within and without. But this fat Palmer is just full hatorade and unhinged attack not even giving credence or credit to the very system that's being treated as the pacing threat to the rules white based order this fat Palmer is hell bent on maintaining.
I don't know his educational background nor his record of accomplishments if he has any, other than writing the usual compulsory books required to convey their supposed non-existing expertise.
Here's his magnup opus:
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