The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is exploring a new concept for growing large space structures and repairing damaged satellites by directly manufacturing components in space. This approach would skip traditional rocket launches and weigh constraints, allowing for the creation of massive structures over 1,640 feet long. DARPA is building on existing space manufacturing research, including robotic construction and self-assembling materials, and incorporating synthetic biology and materials science. The agency has received proposals from several teams, including the California Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, to test their materials and manufacturing processes in space. DARPA is also seeking to develop hybrid living materials that can grow into predefined structures in space, using extremophiles and biomaterials to create structures that can withstand the harsh environment of space. The goal is to create objects that can be biologically manufactured and assembled, but may be infeasible to produce traditionally on Earth. A workshop is planned for April to debate the concept with experts, with the ultimate goal of creating large-scale space-based structures for missions to Mars and beyond.
DARPA Plans to Cultivate Massive Space Habitats
