NASA has unveiled plans to send astronauts to live on the Moon inside giant glass bubbles made from lunar dust. The US space agency is funding research into building these large, livable spheres directly on the Moon using local materials.
The concept, proposed by US space engineering firm Skyeports, involves melting tiny particles of lunar glass — found in the Moon’s soil, or regolith — with a “smart microwave furnace” and blowing them into enormous transparent bubbles. While initial test spheres are only a few inches wide, the goal is to expand them to habitats ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 feet across. The glass could even be designed to be self-healing, repairing damage caused by micrometeorites or moonquakes.
These spherical homes would be structurally sound, provide natural light, and benefit astronauts’ mental health. Interior fittings could be 3D printed from lunar materials, and layers of bubbles could create temperature zones to grow plants and produce oxygen. Solar panels could also generate energy for a long-term presence on the Moon.
Skyeports CEO Dr. Martin Bermudez envisions entire cities of glass bubbles connected by transparent bridges, potentially even in orbit. The spherical shape forms naturally in low gravity when molten glass is extruded from the furnace, and compounds such as titanium, magnesium, and calcium would strengthen the structures.
The research is part of NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme, which explores transformative ideas for space exploration. Testing will begin in a thermal vacuum chamber, progress to microgravity trials, and eventually could be conducted on the Moon itself.
This concept could revolutionize off-world living, offering a self-sustaining habitat that is far more practical than traditional prefabricated or inflatable structures. NASA plans to return humans to the Moon by 2027 under Artemis III, with the long-term vision of establishing a lunar village by 2035.
Dr. Clayton Turner of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate said the project represents “a significant departure from current habitat construction methods” and could transform how humanity explores deep space and establishes off-world settlements.
