It has been months since NASA launched the Lunar Additive Manufacturing project through its HUNCH program and the competitors list is down to six high schools. The additive manufacturing (AM) project challenges high school students to design and present innovative AM designs to solve real-world product development in diverse areas. Elementum 3D is proud to be selected as the HUNCH program official AM material supplier and laser powder bed fusion printer for this project.

NASA relies on innovation in many areas such as software, hardware, biomedical science, and even culinary, but what about tarp stakes? Yes, even tarp stakes. One of the biggest problems with being on the moon is the dust rising while walking on its surface. The remedy may be securing tarps with stakes designed by high school students. The tarps will act as sidewalks to reduce the dust the astronauts get into.

The lunar AM project objective is to design, 3D print, and test a stake, that is anchored in lunar regolith by astronauts wearing a pressurized space suit. The stake designs are judged on the amount of material used to 3D print a high strength, lightweight aluminum stake using the least amount of support material to successfully print the design. The stake will then be tested on its ability to be drilled into a lunar regolith simulant and how much force is needed to pull the 6-inch-long stakes out of the mortar mix used to simulate the moon’s surface.

The project is now in its final stage. The judges have narrowed the designs to the following six high schools: Chatfield 1, Clear Creek 1, Chatfield 2, Jackson Hole, Erie, and Clear Creek 2.

The Lunar Additive Manufacturing project is just one of many that fall under the HUNCH program mission, which is to empower and inspire high school students through a project-based learning program. Assisting in launching students careers through participation in the HUNCH program continues Elementum 3D’s initiative to support the advancement of young minds.