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Additive Manufacturing Media has announced that the first episode of the new season of The Cool Parts Show will focus on pieces that are about to touch down on Mars as part of NASA’s Perseverance rover. Perseverance’s main goal is to look for signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and soil for possible return to Earth. The mission includes a multitude of 3D printed parts.
“The whole world will be watching when the Perseverance Rover lands and begins its work on Mars,” says Pete Zelinski, Co-Host and Co-Creator of the show. “We are excited to get to talk about these parts that will be valuable to the mission, and excited that The Cool Parts Show gets to report on 3D printing’s contribution to this historic story.”
When the Perseverance rover lands on Mars in February of 2021, it will carry with it a critical instrument that could not have been produced without additive manufacturing. Launched in July 2020 as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, this mission addresses high-priority science goals for the planet’s exploration, including key astrobiology questions about the potential for life on Mars. The Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry, or PIXL, is critical to this mission as it will allow the rover to measure the chemical makeup of rocks at a very fine scale, possibly providing clues about the Red Planet’s ability to support life.
“These parts for the PIXL instrument were designed to be functional, and outwardly they lack some of the features we’ve come to expect as trademarks of additive manufacturing, noted Stephanie Hendrixson, who also hosts and helped create the show. “They weren’t designed for 3D printing—and yet 3D printing succeeded in building them. It took many subsequent steps to finish these parts, but to me this is an even more impressive win for AM because of the design restrictions at the outset.”
Complete show information is available at: www.thecoolpartsshow.com
About Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing Media produces a bi-monthly magazine, website, video series and events devoted to industrial applications of 3D printing technology. The focus is on the ways manufacturers are using this technology to make tooling, molds, functional prototypes and end-use production parts in a range of industry sectors.
