NASA’s wild plan to grow mushroom houses on the moon

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In a move straight out of science fiction, NASA’s latest scheme for moon and Mars habitats is as wild as it gets—mushroom houses.
In a move straight out of science fiction, NASA’s latest scheme for moon and Mars habitats is as wild as it gets–mushroom houses.
Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

NASA is cooking up a plan that’s straight out of a sci-fi movie: mushroom houses.

Forget about blasting tons of concrete and steel into space — the space agency is betting big on fungus to build future habitats on the moon and Mars.

With the cost of sending just one pound of material to the moon at a whopping million dollars, NASA’s looking for a solution that doesn’t involve shipping up bricks and boards.

Forget costly rockets loaded with heavy building materials, the space agency is betting on fungus to grow structures that are stronger than concrete and packed with sci-fi benefits.
Forget costly rockets loaded with heavy building materials, the space agency is betting on fungus to grow structures that are stronger than concrete and packed with sci-fi benefits. Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

Enter mycotecture—a cutting-edge method of using fungal spores and algae to literally grow structures once they land in space.

“You can’t take boards or bricks,” Chris Maurer, founder of the architecture firm Redhouse, which is partnering with NASA on the project told Al Jazeera. “So what are you going to build with?” The answer: lunar dust, water, and fungus.

The process is pretty wild.

NASA plans to send a sealed, inflatable mold to the moon, where fungal spores will combine with algae and water to grow into durable structures that can withstand the moon’s extreme conditions.

These mushroom-based materials have some serious perks, like shielding astronauts from harmful radiation and even blocking dangerous micrometeorites.

Here’s how it works: NASA’s partnered with architects to use a technique called “mycotecture.” They’ll send fungal spores, algae, and water to space, growing habitats directly on the moon.
Here’s how it works: NASA’s partnered with architects to use a technique called “mycotecture.” They’ll send fungal spores, algae, and water to space, growing habitats directly on the moon. Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

“Radiation is the show-stopper for any manned missions,” says Maurer. “That’s why we haven’t been back [to the moon] since the ‘70s.”

He explains that mycotecture can block over 99% of radiation with just 8 centimeters of material, compared to the 10 feet of lunar dust needed to do the same job. That’s a game-changer for keeping astronauts safe.

NASA’s next steps involve planning to test small-scale models on the moon by 2028 and ramp up from there.

These mushroom buildings can block deadly radiation, a massive hurdle for any manned mission to space. The plan isn’t just cost-effective—cutting down on the billions it takes to send materials into space—but could be a literal lifesaver for astronauts facing the brutal conditions of outer space.
These mushroom buildings can block deadly radiation, a massive hurdle for any manned mission to space. The plan isn’t just cost-effective—cutting down on the billions it takes to send materials into space—but could be a literal lifesaver for astronauts facing the brutal conditions of outer space. Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

These structures, designed to grow quickly, will offer top-tier protection from radiation, extreme temperatures, and even micrometeorites.
These structures, designed to grow quickly, will offer top-tier protection from radiation, extreme temperatures, and even micrometeorites. Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

But the dream doesn’t stop with the moon.

Mars is next on the list for these fungus-fueled homes.

“It’s almost like science non-fiction,” Jonathan Dessi-Olive, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina told the outlet. “They’re working on having [structures] basically cultivate on their own through multi-organism cooperation, which is super exciting.”

Geologist James Head and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson with a myco block
Geologist James Head and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson with a myco block. Courtesy of redhouse studios/NASA

In a few years, astronauts could be living in fully-grown, fungus-based habitats, all thanks to some clever biology and a whole lot of imagination.

NASA’s betting big on mushrooms, and it might just be the key to colonizing other planets.

“It’s not quite rocket science, but it’s close,” Maurer quips.

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