An asteroid mining company gives the world a glimpse of its vision for the future.
Planetary Resources, which aims to extract water and other useful materials from asteroids, 3D printed an object using metal powder gleaned from a rock in space.
“This is the first part 3D printed with materials from outer space and is reminiscent of a design that could have come from a 3D printer in the weightless environment of space,†said representatives. from Planetary Resources. written in a blog post Thursday (January 7) about the object, which measures approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) high by 3.4 inches (8.7 cm) wide and weighs 8.8 ounces (250 grams). [10 Ways 3D-Printing May Transform Space Travel]
“The asteroid (or meteorite) used for the printing documents originates from the impact of Campo Del Cielo near Argentina and is composed of iron, nickel and cobalt – materials similar to the steel of refinery, â€they added.
Planetary Resources worked with 3D Systems to build the complex geometric object, which was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Another look at the geometric object 3D printed by asteroid mining company Planetary Resources and its partner 3D Systems using asteroid metal powder . (Image credit: planetary resources)
Planetary Resources, which is based in Washington state, isn’t the only entity that sees 3D printing as a key technology in spaceflight going forward. For example, NASA officials said 3D printing could help open up the solar system to human exploration, making spaceships and off-Earth outposts less dependent on their home planet for supplies and spare parts.
Indeed, the space agency recently teamed up with the Californian startup Made In Space to launch a 3D printer to the International Space Station, in order to see how the technology works in microgravity. (The results so far are very encouraging, said NASA officials and representatives from Made In Space.)
Planetary Resources’ asteroid mining ambitions begin with water, which the company plans to break down into its constituents hydrogen and oxygen – the main components of rocket fuel. If all goes according to plan, this thruster will be sold from space “gas stations”, allowing spacecraft to fill their tanks on the move over the next 10 years. The company aims to eventually extract platinum and other precious metals from space rocks. (Another company, Deep Space Industries, has similar ambitions.)
Planetary Resources already has a spacecraft in Earth orbit, a tiny satellite called the Arkyd-3R that deployed from the International Space Station last July to test avionics, software and other key technologies including future air probes. asteroid mining will need.
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+ . Follow us @Spacedotcom , Facebook Where Google+ . Originally published on Espace.com .
