Total project cost can be dramatically reduced with the use of local material for construction, energy and resource production. The general scientific term is In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
Certain ventures, like a base on the Moon for example, will only be feasible with a certain degree of ISRU. Possible in-situ construction materials on the lunar surface are:
- loose and compacted regolith
- sintered regolith
- lunar glass
- cast regolith (cast basalt)
- lunar concrete
- lunar metals (mainly aluminum and iron)