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Stratasys to Test 3D-Printed Material Performance on Moon
Ground testing suggests potential for 50 percent radiation dose reduction EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ:
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[{"type":"text","content":"\nGround testing suggests potential for 50 percent radiation dose reduction\n\n\n EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nStratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, today announced that it will provide 3D-printed materials for an upcoming lunar mission to test their performance on the surface of the moon. The experiments are part of Aegis Aerospace, Inc.’s first Space Science & Technology Evaluation Facility mission (SSTEF-1). SSTEF is a commercial space testing service, developed by Aegis Aerospace in Houston, Texas under NASA’s Tipping Point program, to provide R&D services on the lunar surface. The SSTEF-1 project focuses on technology development for space infrastructure and capabilities for the moon and near-earth space. The Stratasys experiments are sponsored by Northrop Grumman Corporation.\n\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240312064089/en/FDM Antero 840CN03 radiation experiment housing with red UTLEM 9085 “Remove Before Flight” cover to protect the test samples during transport and installation. (Photo: Business Wire)\nIn this moon mission, Stratasys will provide 3D-printed samples that will be brought to the lunar surface by an unmanned lander in a carrier structure 3D-printed by Stratasys. Three materials will be the focus of two different experiments led by Northrop Grumman.\n\n\nThe first experiment assesses the performance of a sample coupon part made with Stratasys’ Antero® 800NA FDM® filament filled with tungsten. Antero 800NA is a high-performance PEKK-based thermoplastic with excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and low outgassing characteristics. Adding tungsten is intended to provide shielding against harmful radiation such as gamma rays or x-rays.\n\n\nThe second passive experiment is designed to see how 3D-printed materials perform in space. It will include Antero 840CN03 FDM filament, which features ESD properties for use with electronics and was used on the Orion spacecraft. The experiment will also include a new ESD photopolymer manufactured by Stratasys partner Henkel for use with Stratasys’ Origin® One 3D printers and designed for high-heat environments. This experiment will subject coupon samples of the 3D-printed materials to moon dust, low pressure that can l...