3D printing is capable of some incredible things , from creatinghuge bridges , prostheticsfor amputee , and evenhuman heartsusing biological “ ink . ” Jumping on this bandwagon , the asteroid mining companyPlanetary Resourceshas been flaunting their own attempts at 3D printing at theConsumer Electronics Show(CES ) in Las Vegas . The issue are literally out - of - this - world 3D printing , with the company showcasing a design forged from asteroid materials .
Planetary Resources ’ raison d’être is to mine worthful resource fromasteroids , which are demonstrably copious source of alloy and compounds – including atomic number 78 , nickel , atomic number 26 , and atomic number 27 . Many contain plenteous water , which could be convert into rocket fuel and help prolong space missions . Their ultimate aim is to serve create aspace - based business organization economic system : ambitious for sure , but its CEO , Chris Lewicki , cogitate that this will bepossible by 2025 .
Although this process has yet to get down , Lewicki was determined to have a mien at the public - renowned technical showcase . Using a meteorite that set ashore in Campo Del Cielo , Argentina , a decorative object has been made out of it , basically a 3D Planetary Resources logo . The partnership with 3D Systems has resulted in the first - ever direct metal print fromasteroid - derived metals .
The 3D - printed logotype , made from nickel note , iron and Co . credit rating : Planetary resource
explain the motivation behind the 3D printing toEngadget , Lewicki enunciate : “ alternatively of manufacturing something in an Earth factory and putting it on a rocket and shipping it to space , what if we put a 3D printer into blank and everything we printed with it we got from blank space ? There are billion and trillion of stacks of this stuff in space . ”
Despite this universe first , the technique used to print the material is n’t new . Nevertheless , it does play up the fact that 3D printing , a clearly versatile engineering , can be applied to asteroid - mine materials . NASA is also mindful of the possibility : official have antecedently note that 3D printing process could assist human space exploration , with spacecraft , outposts , and supplies generated on other planets and celestial objects using this accurate proficiency .
