3-D printer makes hardware out of real asteroid metal
A palm-sized prototype spacecraft is the first geometric object to be 3-D printed from asteroid metal, Redmond-based Planetary Resources says.
The shiny object is being shown off at the International CES show in Las Vegas to boost Planetary Resources’ vision of mining precious materlals from near-Earth asteroids. The feat also gives a boost to 3D Systems’ direct metal printer.
“It’s really an eye-opener for people,” Planetary Resources’ president and CEO, Chris Lewicki, told GeekWire.
How was it done? First, find an asteroid. You don’t need to leave Earth to do that. Planetary Resources took advantage of the metal from a meteorite that was found at the Campo del Cielo impact site in Argentina. The ingredients include iron, nickel and cobalt – the same stuff found in refinery-grade steel.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.geekwire.com
See on Scoop.it – The NewSpace Daily
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