NASA's new "space fabric"

Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/04/20/nasas-new-space-fabric.html

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‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ was way out in front of this one

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Not sure how comfortable it would be, but that would make a fabulous looking little space-fabric dress.

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So, lamellar armor at a higher resolution?

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Seems an idiotic thing to 3D print. 3D printing is generally not the best option for making thousands of identical things, such as the mini-tiles shown here.

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Did we mention it was 3d printed inside the Haunted Mansion?

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If you print it then you don’t have to join it. The structure might not even be possible with joins.

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It’s a Klingon fashion staple. Original Series!

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Nothing compares to SPACE PANTS

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It looks like a small format tile sample from Home Depot

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Looks like the stuff Thor wears in the movies.

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Why not hexagons?

Why not varying shapes and sizes to conform to the underlying topography and range of motion?

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If you print it,
they will come.

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Good point - or triangles.

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Funny you should post that:

At one time (the 60s, I believe) NASA did actually look to medieval armor for space suit design ideas and solutions.

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That’s interesting. Klingon men are plate-protected from the waist down, while the females’ arms are plated-protected. Maybe something about Klingon females beating up on the males where it hurts?

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Penrose tiles!

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Spock opted for bigger plates. Nice choice. Very nice.

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You’re correct, but I can imagine many ways to join these tiles that would provide the flexibility demonstrated here. 3D printing is great for prototyping, but is seldom the preferred route to mass production.

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