NASA is exploring the use of mushrooms to build future habitats on the Moon and Mars, as reported by Al Jazeera. The space agency recently awarded a $2 million contract to a research group at its Ames Research Center to further develop “mycotecture” which is the use of fungi in construction.
The motivation behind this research is cost efficiency. Launching traditional building materials into space is prohibitively expensive, but sending fungal spores and mixing them with lunar materials like water and regolith could offer a much cheaper alternative. Cleveland-based architect Chris Maurer explained that this method could produce bricks suitable for construction.
NASA’s research shows that mushroom-based structures can deflect space radiation, provide insulation from extreme temperatures, and grow quickly—potentially forming habitable structures in just one to two months. This innovative approach could prove to be a futuristic and efficient alternative to conventional building methods.
To grow a mushroom-based habitat on the Moon, a special package containing essential components would land on the surface. The package would inflate, and a mix of fungal spores, water, and algae would grow around it, forming a hardened outer shell that becomes a living space. While experiments on Earth have been successful, there are still unknown challenges when applied to space.
NASA Ames senior research scientist Lynn Rothschild is leading the project and plans to test a model of mycotecture structures during the 2028 launch of the commercial Starlab space station. Rothschild acknowledges there are risks, including concerns about strength, insulation, and growth properties in space.
If successful, future colonies on the Moon and Mars could “pop up like mushrooms after a warm rainy day.”
