‘Lunar Sidewalk’ poured

University of Hawaii at Manoa civil engineering students on Thursday poured fly ash concrete over basalt rebar for one of three “Lunar Sidewalk” prototype slabs on Kinoole Street near Lincoln Park in Hilo.

The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems’ “Lunar Sidewalk” features three different slabs made from experimental volcanic basalt materials that one day could be used by NASA to build structures and pavement on the moon, Mars and asteroids.

It also could be used as an alternative to mainland cement in Hawaii, which would help reduce the economic and environmental costs to the state.