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Old 01-23-2018, 09:18 PM
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blackshire blackshire is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 77fair
It is interesting to note that the engines are "the first of its type to be primarily 3D-printed. Each Rutherford engine, including its engine chamber, injector, pumps and main propellant valves, can be printed in 24 hours.". That in itself is very impressive.

Very cool!
David

NAR #65307
This is, in a way, a realization of K. Eric Drexler's "Engines of Creation" (in which book he discussed "assembler" nano-machines that could create--among other things he wrote of--lightsails [extremely thin, made-in-space, all-metal high-performance solar sails] and rocket engines). We don't have Dr. Drexler's assemblers yet (some experts doubt their realization), but 3D printers do much the same thing.
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