NASA Glenn Creates Biodegradable Composite from Simulated Moon and Mars Dust

A team at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has created a biodegradable composite material that incorporates simulated Moon and Mars dust. The addition of dust made the plastic stronger and easier to process, unlocking potential for on-site manufacturing of tools and structural parts during future lunar and Martian missions.

The material was developed at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland by research chemical engineer Allison Christy, who led a team of summer interns: Tyler Klinchuch, Ethan Bilodeau, and Emma Levenson.

The plastic base is biodegradable and can be produced by bacteria fed with crew waste or carbon dioxide. Mixing this plastic with simulated Moon and Mars dust made the resulting composite stronger and easier to process.

The material’s properties can be adjusted by varying the type and amount of dust; sample images display a gray version made with mock Moon dust and a reddish version made with mock Mars dust.

The composite could be created directly on the Moon or Mars and used to manufacture equipment such as structural brackets, wrenches, and chairs inside habitats.

By using locally available dust, the technique could reduce the amount of supplies launched from Earth, saving weight and cutting launch costs, while supporting fully recyclable on-demand fabrication.

The material is currently undergoing thermal and structural testing in the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig at Glenn; several samples are also part of the MISSE-23 payload for space exposure. The team intends to assess whether it can withstand exterior lunar or Martian environments.

The work is funded by NASA Glenn’s 2026 Center Innovation Fund, managed by NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate.

The research aligns with NASA’s objective of establishing a permanent Moon base.

For a lunar industry, the development demonstrates a path toward manufacturing tools and spare parts from local regolith and organic waste, slashing the mass and cost of resupply missions. As NASA pursues a long-term surface presence, recyclable, on-site fabrication materials become essential for sustaining crews and habitats on the Moon and, eventually, on Mars.