Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2021/01/12/behold-icebot-a-robot-made-from-ice.html
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I am thoroughly charmed by this concept! It also has some potential ecological benefits, too, I’d imagine. If a big chunk of your bot is made from frozen water gathered on its ice planet, when you’re done with the bot you can let the water return to its natural state, hopefully minimizing the ecological impact of a probe.
Good that you are thinking ahead, but I’m a little puzzled at this concern. 100% of celestial bodies we have sent probes to, as far as anyone knows, are lifeless. There is no ecosystem as such.
pykrete?
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Not without pulp.
Came here for the pykrete, was not disappointed. I did have thoughts about a pykrete battlebot, although running out the clock would beat it haha. BUT for space, a prob’s worth of fluffed up synthetic fibers may be not that heavy and be better than woodpulp.
Edit - just remembered that kevlar is only strong when it’s woven, but I’m sure there is material that is light and strong when fluffed out. Carbon nanotubes?
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Lifeless … that we know of! We certainly haven’t detected any yet, but as NASA scientists studying Mars will tell us, that doesn’t mean it’s not there
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