On July 4th the Juno spacecraft that was launched by NASA back in 2011 successfully settled into orbit around Jupiter where it is preparing to help us understand the origin and evolution of the the fifth, and largest, planet in our solar system. It was helped along the way thanks to 8 titanium waveguide brackets that were 3D printed by Lockheed Martin. This is the first spacecraft with 3D printed components to venture so far into space, and those waveguides will transmit radio frequency signals between the various spacecraft components, helping Juno fulfill its mission for years to come. In honor of this milestone, open source maker community and education platform Wevolver assembled some great 3D printing projects to help you explore space from your home.
PiKon: The 3D Printed Raspberry Pi Powered Astronomy Camera by Mark Wringley
M.A.R.S. (MADspace Advanced Robotics System) Rover by Eindhoven MADspace
The M.A.R.S. rover is a simplified version of NASA’s Curiosity space exploration vehicle that is currently roaming the surface of the red planet. The project was created by Guus van der Sluijs and a team of makers from Eindhoven Hackerspace in the Netherlands as a way to allow anyone to explore the surface of any planet that you can land a rover on. Just as with Curiosity, the M.A.R.S. rover uses the same type of suspension system that allows it to travel over even the most uneven of ground. The six-wheeled rover has a body and frame made from 3D printable components and is powered by a Raspberry Pi. It also includes a gyroscope so it can keep track of where it is and where it has been and webcams so it can record its progress and transmit them back to the builder.
Here is a video to help you get your project started:
QBCAN Nano-Satellite by Open Cosmos
Here is some video of Rafel Jorda from Open Cosmos explaining how QBCAN works:
Project Ultrascope by Open Space Agency
Here is a video about the development of the Ultrascope presented by Open Space Agency founder James Parr:
All four of these great 3D printing and electronics projects are available for download from Wevolver, including instructions, all the STL files and any coding or electronics diagrams needed to complete the project. Because Wevolver is a cooperative community, there are also comments on projects that can help clarify any difficult spots, or offer tips and tricks. The Wevolver platform is a great way to find new projects for fun or to use in an educational setting and include projects for every skill level, including projects as simple as homemade beehives to as complex and involved as a full-sized robot. You can learn more about Wevolver and all of their maker projects here. Discuss further in the 3D Printed Space-Themed Projects forum over at 3DPB.com.