ASCI 602 - Updated Blog Post
Aaron Stone – Blog
(Update, September 6, 2018)
Hi Class,
For this week’s blog post I have included the following link related to the three-dimensional printing company called Made In Space. The link provides insight on the planned operations overview for the program called Archinaut. The program which is led by parent company Made In Space received a contract and was awarded additional funding from NASA’s “Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies” program. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) continues to embrace public-private partnerships to achieve its strategic goals for expanding capabilities and opportunities in space. A key aspect of NASA's strategy is to stimulate the commercial space industry while leveraging those same commercial capabilities through public-private partnerships to deliver technologies and capabilities needed for future NASA, other government agency, and commercial missions. With the recent increase of U.S. private sector companies interested in space applications, NASA is seeking commercial space technologies that are at a "tipping point" in their development cycle.
The Archinaut program is a robotic construction system that would operate in space. This basically involves a spacecraft equipped with highly capable robotic arms and a three-dimensional printer. The idea is the Archinaut will be able to build big, complex structures such as space telescopes off Earth, and also be capable of repairing and upgrading existing satellites. Such technology will allow for the design and manufacture of much larger and more ambitious spacecraft since they won't need to fit inside a rocket's nose cone and survive the rigors of launch. If successful, Archinaut could enable a wide range of in-space manufacturing and assembly capabilities.
More information can be found by following the link provided above. Also, I have included a short promotional video sponsored by Made In Space.
Video Title: Made In Space - Archinaut: ULISSES
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