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Chinese researchers develop a way to 3D print in space
3D printing could be used to build bases… or spare parts
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
3D printing on Earth is an achievement in and of itself -- but Chinese researchers have taken it a step further, claiming to have developed a technique to 3D print in space.
A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences solved the cool technical challenge -- known as ceramic manufacturing under microgravity -- aboard a reduced-gravity plane over Switzerland.
Put simply, they used ceramic materials in lieu of lunar dust -- the material they would use in space -- and developed a way to mix the powder to form a paste.
The most ambitious application of the technology could be to build bases on the Moon or even Mars -- although in the short term it’s more likely to be used to build parts for things like telescopes.
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