In the future, NASA astronauts might live in space homes created by giant 3D-printing robots. These robots will be part of NASA’s ambitious Project Olympus, designed to build structures on the Moon, and eventually, on Mars. What’s even more fascinating is that these homes will be built using local resources, like lunar rock, rather than shipping heavy materials from Earth across space.

This innovative concept comes from Icon, a Texas-based 3D printing company, which has received millions in funding from NASA. In 2020, Icon won a contract valued at around $60 million to create lunar homes made from moon rock.

As Niki Werkheiser, NASA’s director of exploration technologies, stated at the time: “To explore other worlds, we need new technologies that are adapted to these environments and our mission needs. Advancing this work with our commercial partners will help us create the capabilities required for future space missions.”

Icon is also behind NASA’s Martian habitat prototype, Mars Dune Alpha, where astronauts lived and worked during last year’s CHAPEA mission. Now, Icon’s goal is to support NASA’s Artemis program by designing space homes for the Moon’s surface and more. But it’s not just homes they are focused on — Icon is also planning structures like landing pads, roads, and other pressurized buildings.

Jason Ballard, CEO of Icon, explained: “To shift the paradigm of space exploration from ‘there and back again’ to ‘there to stay,’ we’ll need robust, resilient systems that can utilize local resources from the Moon and other planets.” He added, “We’re excited that our research and engineering to date have shown that such systems are not only possible, but we’re now on the verge of making this a reality. The final goal of this contract will be humanity’s first construction on another world, which will be an incredible achievement.”

Icon’s ultimate vision is to help build a “sustainable lunar economy,” which includes longer-term human habitation on the Moon. While the focus is currently on the Moon, future plans may expand to Mars.

NASA’s Artemis program began with the successful uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, which tested the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The next steps include a crewed test flight (Artemis II) and ultimately, a manned landing on the Moon in the Artemis III mission.

However, this week, NASA announced a significant delay in the Artemis schedule. The crewed Artemis III flight, originally planned for 2026, will now take place no earlier than mid-2027. Likewise, Artemis II, which was slated for September 2025, is now set for April 2026 at the earliest. The delay is due to ongoing work on the heatshield for the Orion capsule, which will transport astronauts to the Moon.

NASA’s plans for human missions to Mars will largely depend on the successes — and challenges — of the Artemis program, shaping the next steps in space exploration.