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Rapid Prototype Satellite

In a new application for 3-D printing, sending satellites into space may become faster, easier and less expensive to do. Known as CubeSats, metal varieties of the 4-inch cube-shaped devices have been used in a variety of space explorations for more than ten years, however, they are somewhat cost-prohibitive to manufacture.

On the other hand, rapid prototyping enables faster production and simpler assembly while maintaining the required levels of accuracy and precision. The 3-D printed version also weighs less, leaving room for more payload. The first of these new CubeSats is scheduled to be launched in 2014 on a Russian rocket.

For information: Fabio Santoni, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33, 4-0126 Bologna, Italy; Web site; www.eng.unibo.it/

Daniel Burrus' Top Twenty Technology-Driven Trends for 2013