For the manned mission in 2030 NASA is working to cut costs by lighting its payload as much as possible. For that, the space agency is studying the various ways to make goods on Mars rather than carrying material theirs.

According to the University Of Central Florida, the space agency has teamed up with University of Central Florida (UCF) professor Sudipta Seal to study Martian soil. Hopefully, the devise a way to extract metals that could then be used to 3D print a human habitat.

Kevin Grossman, UCF graduate student of NASA said," the regolith on any rocky planet is composed of metal oxides". NASA scientists believe that they can essentially convert into pure metal and oxygen.

Digital Trends has reported the metal is known as molten regolith electrolysis. The process involves melting soil by heating it to almost 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other side separate the metals from oxygen as each material is pulled toward its preferred electrode.

NASA researchers have stated the project is focussing on the metal being 3D printed into structural components or small tools. The future project, however, may focus on allay products into base metals, which will enable the production of electronic components in space.

The NASA scientists hope to promote massless exploration and "in-situ resource utilization". That is the principle of living off the land instead of lugging resources through space.

However, the cost of space missions depends on the weight of the rocket and goods it carries. By the use of molten regolith electrolysis, astronauts can leave metals. The using metal is extracted from Martian soil to manufacture habitats, tools, and equipment while there.

The scientific team from NASA has added that" the benefit of additive manufacturing from this project will greatly reduce the need for human labor". As a result, they can reduce the need for human labor to start the colonization process.