{"id":36152,"date":"2013-05-22T17:09:37","date_gmt":"2013-05-22T21:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=36152"},"modified":"2013-05-22T17:09:37","modified_gmt":"2013-05-22T21:09:37","slug":"3d-printed-pizza-in-space-nasa-funds-food-replicator-for-space-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/3d-printed-pizza-in-space-nasa-funds-food-replicator-for-space-station\/","title":{"rendered":"3D-Printed Pizza In Space! NASA Funds 'Food Replicator' For Space Station [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"tessting<\/a>
Aboard a modified Boeing 727 from the Zero G Corporation, the Made In Space team monitors and records each of the 3D printers in operation inside the experiment box as the simulated gravity environment reaches -.01g, as noted by the monitor in the background. In picture: Michael Snyder, Alison Lewis, and Aaron Kemmer. Image credit: Made In Space, Inc<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regular readers of PS are aware that we have covered many news items of late involving the remarkably versatile technology known as 3D printing\/rapid prototyping in which 3D computer design software, laser printing and materials science combine to create real (3 dimensional) objects or materials.<\/p>\n

This tech has been used to “print” various useful items: solar energy cells, new pharmaceutical compounds (anti-cancer drugs) and even human embryonic stem cells<\/a> (for organ\/tissue replacement therapy). More recently, NASA has considered using 3D printing tech to create composite bricks for moon base building<\/a>. But many folks reading of such amazing applications have probably also wondered: what about 3D printing food<\/em>, ala the ‘food replicator’ machine featured frequently on old Star Trek<\/em> episodes?<\/p>\n

Well, wonder no more, as NASA has been thinking along the same lines and has recently invested $125,000.00 in a research company called Systems & Materials Research Cooperation (SMRC) to design a 3D printer capable of printing food — specifically pizza<\/em> — using 30-year “shelf stable” food stocks.<\/p>\n

Why pizza? Well, it’s the one basic food item that has never made it into space (in any form), but, it is also a food that is amenable to how the technology works — by building up 3D objects one layer at a time. Pizza is ideal for this process in that it can be made by layering bread dough, cheese* and sauce — <\/a>plus “toppings” — sequentially.<\/p>\n

However, the food stocks<\/em> used here will not be ordinary, Earth kitchen ingredients; proteins and carbohydrates will come from “base powders” (like the toner powders in your office printer) derived from grass, algae and insects.<\/p>\n

SMRC has even higher hopes for its technology than space; the company feels it’s 3D food printing machine (click link for diagram)<\/a><\/strong> will be crucial to providing food security in a predicted future world of 9 billion humans (by 2050).<\/p>\n

* If done correctly (for you space foodies): first the dough, then a layer of cheese, followed by the sauce, and then another thinner layer of cheese, which holds everything together. (note: the layering would occur on a heating plate that would then cook the pizza, allowing for the familiar sensation of burning the rook of your mouth from hot, melting cheese)<\/p>\n

Watch this super techie video of a prototype, 3D printer\/’food replicator’ (here printing chocolate)<\/a> in action for the first NASA trial (article continues below):<\/strong><\/p>\n