09-05-2017 | Mouser Electronics | Design Applications
Mouser has released official footage of the winning design of the International Space Station (ISS) Design Challenge being 3D-printed in space. The winning design, a femtosatellite launcher, is now in orbit and available for astronauts to launch femtosatellites in zero gravity. The latest video episode highlights the official 3D-printing of engineer Andy Filo's winning design and explains how astronauts may use the device in space. Femtosatellites are tiny satellites (about the size of a postage stamp) that weigh less than 100g. Scientists can use femtosatellites in many different missions and applications, including monitoring disasters, cosmic rays and coronal events. "Mouser brought together engineers, students and makers from around the world in this exciting design challenge. All the designs were excellent, but in the end there was one design that stood above the rest," said Glenn Smith, president and CEO of Mouser Electronics. "The heart of this challenge was 'innovation,' and Andy's femtosatellite-launching device embodies forward-thinking design."
