A new filament promises to bring the surface of the moon to home workshops: Basalt Moon Dust Filamet. This special printing material imitates the composition of regolith, the loose rocky mantle of the moon. The filament was developed through a collaboration between the companies Astroport Space Technologies and The Virtual Foundry.
According to Astroport CEO Sam Ximenes, the material enables hobbyists and inventors to experience the moon for themselves and thus democratize space exploration. Bradley Woods from The Virtual Foundry sees the development as an important step towards pushing the boundaries of what is possible both on Earth and in space.
The filament consists of a basalt granulate that simulates the metallic and mineral components of the lunar soil. It is compatible with standard FDM/FFF printers and 0.6 mm nozzles. It prints optimally at 210 degrees and 135% flow rate.
According to the developers, the filament is suitable for aerospace applications, but also for art objects or decoration. There are virtually no limits to the imagination when it comes to bringing the fascination of the moon to life at home.
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