Google Moon Shot Stands to Give Industrial 3-D Printing a Boost
- Israeli contender in Google lunar race uses ‘printed’ parts
- 3-D printing executives say there’s resistance to technology
Outer Space Is About to Get a Whole Lot Closer
In what promises to be one small step for space travel, and one giant leap for the next generation of manufacturing, an Israeli startup is planning to land a vehicle on the moon that has crucial parts made using 3-D printing technology.
SpaceIL is among five teams vying for Google Inc.’s $30 million in prize money to get a spacecraft to the moon by the end of March. One of the startup’s suppliers, Zurich-based RUAG Space, advised turning to 3-D printing to manufacture the legs of its unmanned lunar lander. With financial stakes high and a tight deadline, SpaceIL engineers were at first deeply skeptical, according to RUAG executive Franck Mouriaux. They finally acquiesced after a lot of convincing.