[SpaceProgram] Article: SpiderFab: Process for On-Orbit Construction of Kilometer-Scale Apertures

[Jerry Isdale]

The first problem I have with SpiderFab is that they start off planning to loft the raw materials for printing from the bottom of this big gravity well.
That might be ok for the first few bootstrap launches, but we really really need to use off-planet resources to build the off-planet structures.

Otherwise the idea of printing the structures is great.
Zero (or micro) Gravity does make it harder to control the materials.
Even squeezing out material in an extrusion process would induce motions.
Spreading out layers of powder? ha.

Jerry Isdale
http://MauiMakers.com
http://www.mauimakers.com/blog/thursday-public-meeting/

On Sep 27, 2012, at 1:50 PM, cole santos wrote:

> This is amzaing. Replicating this in even rudementry ways would be a great gambit project.
> 
> You could use this to make a framework for a oneill habitat then drape with flexible silicone heaters and pump it full of diborane and nickel carbonyl until the cvd process builds up enough wall to allow pressurization.
> 
> On Sep 27, 2012 1:21 PM, "Alex" <alexcg at gmail.com> wrote:
> In orbit 3D printing concept. Pretty awesome. Reduces costs, increases scale of what we put up there
> 
> SpiderFab: Process for On-Orbit Construction of Kilometer-Scale Apertures
> http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/early_stage_innovation/niac/2012_phase_I_fellows_hoyt_spiderfab.html

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