Gizmorama - December 24, 2014

Good Morning,

Apparently, the International Space Station needed a new socket wrench, so it got one... via email. Email!? What!?

Learn about this and more interesting stories from the scientific community in today's issue.

Until Next Time,
Erin

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*-- NASA just emailed the space station a new socket wrench --*
WASHINGTON (UPI) - Astronauts on the International Space Station have a new socket wrench. But it didn't come via cargo ship. It was emailed from planet Earth -- beamed up into space and then printed by the ISS crew using their new 3-D printer.

In late September, space's first zero-gravity 3-D printer was delivered to the International Space Station by a SpaceX resupply mission. In November, astronauts finally got around to assembling the machine, designed and manufactured by California-based company Made In Space. Astronauts successfully tested the printer in late November, and now the new technology is being used with a purpose.

NASA predicted that ISS might become a machine shop with arrival of the new printer. And sure enough, the first printed product of note is a ratcheting socket wrench. It's the first time hardware has ever been emailed into space.

"If the printer is successful, it will not only serve as the first demonstration of additive manufacturing in microgravity, but it also will bring NASA and Made In Space a big step closer to evolving in-space manufacturing for future missions to destinations such as an asteroid and Mars," NASA wrote in a September blog post.

What began as a simple CAD file on computers back on Earth, created by engineers and computer scientists at Made In Space, is now a usable plastic wrench aboard the International Space Station.

"On the ISS, this type of technology translates to lower costs for experiments, faster design iteration, and a safer, better experience for the crew members, who can use it to replace broken parts or create new tools on demand," Mike Chen, Made In Space founder, wrote on Medium's Backchannel.

"When we do set up the first human colonies on the moon, Mars and beyond," Chen added, "we won't use rockets to bring along everything we need. We'll build what we need there, when we need it."


*--- DARPA developing first-ever maneuverable bullet ---*
WASHINGTON (UPI) - Researchers with the Defense Department are currently testing a bullet that's maneuverable, able to change directions mid-flight. Military officials hope the technology, once perfected, can expand the range of snipers and improve accuracy in windy conditions.

The target-seeking bullets are being developed and tested by scientists with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), as part of a project called Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance, or EXACTO. Though EXACTO researchers haven't revealed the exact mechanisms that enable the new technology, it's been suggested the bullet features fins that direct it toward its target, accounting for wind and other factors.

In July, DARPA released a video showing the bullet being tested. The clips shows the maneuverable bullets being fired twice, each aimed well off-target. One of the two shots successfully veers back toward and hits the target. The bullet is guided by a laser pointed on the target.

If the EXACTO bullets are adopted in the field, researchers say they could not only help snipers improve their effectiveness -- by battling windy conditions and tracking down moving targets -- but also better protect ground troops.

The bullets will "enhance troop safety by allowing greater shooter standoff range and reduction in target engagement timelines," EXACTO officials explained in a statement.

As part of Phase III of the project, DARPA scientists will continue to test and improve the bullet.

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