NASA is exploring an innovative solution for building future space habitats by utilizing mushrooms to grow structures.
The space agency has awarded a $2 million contract to researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Center to further investigate “mycotecture,” a futuristic approach to creating habitable structures using fungi. This concept, which feels like something from science fiction, could potentially transform how we establish colonies on the Moon and Mars.
Why Mushrooms?
NASA is turning to fungi due to the high cost of transporting conventional construction materials into space. Launching heavy supplies is extremely expensive, and the weight of traditional materials makes them impractical for space missions. Instead, NASA is exploring fungal spores as a more efficient alternative.
Architect Chris Maurer, who is collaborating with NASA on the project, suggests that sending spores and combining them with resources found on the Moon—such as water and lunar soil (regolith)—could significantly reduce expenses.
Beyond cost efficiency, mushrooms offer several other advantages. NASA’s research indicates that fungal structures could protect inhabitants from radiation, provide insulation against extreme temperatures, and grow rapidly—potentially creating entire buildings within one or two months. This makes them a promising alternative to traditional building methods, which are challenging to transport and assemble in space.
How it Works
Building a mushroom-based habitat on the Moon would start with a special package delivered to the lunar surface. This package would contain essential household items and inflate to form an initial structure. Inside, a mixture of fungal spores, water, and algae would grow an outer shell, which would eventually harden into a durable, livable habitat.
While Earth-based experiments have shown success, challenges remain. Growing structures in space may present unforeseen complications. Lynn Rothschild, the senior research scientist at NASA Ames leading the project, has highlighted several risks, including whether the fungal structure would be strong enough, provide adequate insulation, or grow well under space conditions.
To address these uncertainties, NASA plans to send a prototype of these mycotecture structures into space in 2028 as part of the launch of the commercial space station, Starlab.
