Polish project simulating Mars ag mission

There’s been a lot of talk lately about traveling to the moon, Mars or both. 3D printing has a lot to do with every stage of the planned journey into space, whether it’s through the construction of the rockets that will take us there or the habitats we will build upon arrival. What sometimes gets lost in all the technical talk, however, is the human element. Preparing human beings to spend a lengthy amount of time in space is no insignificant task, which is why a lot of work has gone into simulating outer space conditions here on Earth so that astronauts can get a feel for what it will actually be like, physically and psychologically, to travel to Mars or the moon.

One of the first questions that springs to mind regarding long-term space missions is: what will the astronauts eat? That question will be addressed in the simulation, of course: the participants will receive vitamins, microelements and proteins produced in bioreactors, and they will also cultivate edible plants through hydroponics. That’s where 3D printing comes in to this particular mission. Verashape, creator of the VSHAPER 3D printer line, will be 3D printing the equipment that the participants will use to cultivate the plants.

“We decided to combine hydroponics with 3D Printing and create a modern hydroponic cultivation dedicated to space solutions. Containers that will be included in its composition will be printed using 3D Printing technology in cooperation with the VSHAPER Printer manufacturer,” said Olga Grabiwoda of the Design Institute in Kielce.

Read more at 3DPrint.com