Astronaut DNA

Introduction

To sustain human extraterrestrial presence, biologists and engineers must overcome the challenges presented by extreme temperatures, limited resources, and unique environmental conditions. These variables impact the capability of biomanufacturing which enables prolonged space exploration. To address these challenges, our team employs PHAntom Spinova: a two-axis clinostat machine that continuously reorients a sample to mimic the effects of microgravity. Spinova enables our team to model bacterial behavior in simulated microgravity conditions without leaving Earth’s atmosphere.

Bioplastics such as Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), produced by bacterial synthesis, offer a biodegradable and renewable solution, but converting these raw materials into usable forms remains a challenge. To bridge this gap, our team developed the PHBV Filament Extruder: a device that uptakes PHBV granules and processes them into uniform, high-quality 3D printing filament. By directly linking synthetic bioplastic production with filament production, the extruder enables an efficient pathway from sustainable material creation to practical use via 3D printing.

Explore Our Hardware Components

2-Axis Clinostat: Spinova

Spinova Diagram

Before beginning this mission, let’s review some key terminology that will help us understand Spinova and its design process:

  • Clinostat

    Device that uses rotation to alter the effects of gravity, traditionally on plant samples to study their growth and development. Spinova is a type of clinostat for bacteria.

  • Microgravity

    A state where an object appears to be weightless because it is in freefall toward Earth. Objects in freefall are still acted on by gravity but they do not experience any contact forces to resist the pull of gravity. Think of the way the International Space Station orbits Earth and creates low gravity conditions for the astronauts inside.

  • CAD

    Computer aided design, a computer software program that allows the three dimensional design of objects that can then be 3D printed.

  • Part

    In the context of CAD, it is a discrete, fundamental unit that represents a physical object. Multiple parts make up an assembly.

  • Assembly

    A collection of individual parts to create a larger and more complex system.

  • Torque (τ)

    A measure of rotational force, like twisting or turning, on an object like a shaft or a wheel. Torque is typically expressed in Nm or lb ft.

  • Gimbal

    A pivoted support that allows for rotational motion about a fixed axis. Spinova employs a set of two gimbals, one mounted on the other with orthogonal pivot axes.

  • RPM

    Revolutions per minute is how many times an object makes a full 360 degree revolution in sixty seconds. In the case of Spinova, we are tracking how many times the sample and the gimbal frames rotate.

  • Rotational Speed (ω)

    also called angular velocity, it is a measure of how fast an object is rotating, expressed in RPM.

  • Driving Gear

    Receives an input in a gear system, its motion causes the rotation of another gear.

  • Driven Gear

    The output in a gear system, it moves as a result of the input to the driving gear.

  • Gear Train

    a system of two or more gears that work together to transmit power and motion from one shaft to another.

  • Gear Variables

    m: Gear module, represents the ratio of the pitch diameter to the number of teeth in a gear. Module is an important parameter for mating gears because mating gears must have the same module. Calculated using the formula Module (m) = Pitch Diameter (D) / Number of Teeth (N)

    D: Pitch diameter, represents the diameter at which the gear teeth are theoretically engaged with the mating gear. Calculated using the formula Pitch Diameter (D) = Module (m) x Teeth Number (z)

    z: Teeth Number, indicates how many teeth are in the gear. May be counted or calculated using the formula z (number of teeth) = D (pitch diameter) / m (module)

Addressing Problems in Synthetic Biology

Spinova has the potential to be used broadly in the growing field of synthetic biology:

  • Biomanufacturing:

    Ensure bioreactors used to sustain extraterrestrial human presence will work efficiently in non-earth gravity conditions

  • Cellular Biology

    Study how cells aggregate to form tissues in microgravity conditions (Bizzarri et al., 2015)

  • Biophysics:

    Study the role of gravity in cell morphology and signaling changes (Siamwala et al., 2015)

  • Molecular Genetics:

    Understanding the role gravity plays in gene expression (Panciera et al, 2018)

Understanding these factors influencing tissue growth and behavior will be key in a future where we need to grow tissues for a space mission. On Earth, artificial tissue growth is already being studied as a method of creating replacement organs for transplantation into patients.

How it Works

Traditional clinostats use rotation to simulate microgravity on biological samples, most commonly plant samples. Spinova is designed to achieve the same goal for liquid bacterial cultures by averaging out the effects of Earth’s gravity.

  • Pitch is rotation about the horizontal x-axis

  • Yaw is rotation about the vertical y-axis

  • Combining these types of rotation, a biological sample may be reoriented to such that the random directional exposure to gravity can approximate different amounts of gravity(microgravity, Mars gravity, hypergravity etc).

  • Despite not using rotation about the z-axis, Spinova can still simulate partial 3D movement enough to mimic the effects of microgravity. Spinova can approximate full 3D motion, but doesn’t uniformly cover all ranges of motion.

  • Having two drive gears allows motion about a second axis where the resulting motion is dependent on the relative angular velocities of both rotations. (Hasenstein & van Loon, 2011)

  • Changes in the orientation of the frames may be predicted by the rotational matrices. (Hasenstein & van Loon, 2011)

  • Modeling outputs dictate the rotation ratio employed by Spinova.

Requirements

The following are the features we designed Spinova to have, and why we chose these components to focus on.

  • Sample rotation: Spinova must be able to simulate multiple microgravity conditions. The no-load maximum speed of our selected motor is 130 RPM. However, modeling outputs on simulated martian gravity conditions on earth concludes that a rotation ratio of 3.4:3.8 RPM is the optimal speed for our modified E. coli cultures in clinostat rotations to simulate martian gravity. This means that the outer rotating frame must rotate at 3.4 RPM while the sample platform must rotate at 3.8 RPM. Due to the versatility of the motor, we have the opportunity to expand modeling calculations to include other gravity conditions such as lunar or micro.

  • Interchangeable sample platform: Our model includes a platform capable of holding either a 50mL conical tube or a 100mm diameter petri dish. This cartridge may be disassembled and replaced with another sample platform for different sample vessels. Our team has designed an additional sample platform designed to carry multiple 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tubes.

  • Smooth and consistent rotation: in order to reorient the sample properly, continuous rotation is necessary. For this we opted to use roller bearings with dowel pins for the gimbal frame shafts, and Micro Servo motors with an Arduino microcontroller. The roller bearings reduce friction between moving parts to allow smooth transmission of power from the motors.

  • Portable design: Spinova is made primarily out of PLA plastic, which weighs 1240 kg/m3. Its slightly higher density compared to other common 3D printing filaments is advantageous because it grants Spinova greater resistance to wear and deformation. Due to its lower melting temperature (170-180°C) compared to alternative filaments like ABS (200-260°C), PLA printed parts experience lower deformity than ABS prints (3DISM, 2025). Spinova’s maximum dimensions are just under 200 X 200 X 120mm when accounting for the table legs. This allows it to sit nicely in the corner of a lab bench! Some dual axis clinostats currently on the market take up considerably more space; the Dual Axis Multi-Angle Tilting & Height Adjustable Control Panel Mounting & Assembly Table currently on the market by the company ALFRA has dimensions of 1651 X 1422.4 X 1295.4 mm.

  • Simple assembly: By only requiring the use of assembly tools that astronauts would already be taking to space with them, Spinova doesn’t require any specialized assembly equipment. By having tools serve multiple purposes, we avoid unnecessary payload issues. Its simple assembly also makes for efficient storage when not in use. In choosing PLA plastic as our cost of manufacturing was $5.99 considering a 1kg spool of PLA filament was $16.14 and we used 0.371 kg of filament. Including bought components, the cost of producing Spinova was $64.52.

Dimensions

Sample Platform

  • 190 x 190 x 15 mm

  • Dowel pin (shaft) hole radius: 2.9 mm

  • Bearing dimensions: 6 x 10 x 3 mm

  • Shaft length: 30 mm

  • Slip ring axle dimensions: 4.9 x 4.9 x 9 mm

Figure 1
Inner Rotating Frame

  • 190 x 190 x 15 mm

  • Dowel pin (shaft) hole radius: 2.9 mm

  • Bearing dimensions: 6 x 10 x 3 mm

  • Shaft length: 30 mm

  • Slip ring axle dimensions: 4.9 x 4.9 x 9 mm

Figure 2
Outer Stationary Frame

  • 250 x 250 x 15 mm

  • Dowel pin (shaft) hole radius: 2.9 mm

  • Bearing dimensions: 6 x 10 x 3 mm

Figure 3
Slip Ring

  • 6 wire slip ring

  • 2A rating

  • Operating voltage: 210 DC or 240 AC

  • OD body: 22 mm

  • OD flange: 44.5 mm

  • Body: 22 x 19.5 mm length

Figure 4
Motor

  • FS90R 360 Degree Continuous Rotation 6V Micro

  • RC Servo

Figure 5
Stationary Frame Bearing

  • 12 x 18 x 4 mm single ball bearing for increased stability between inner rotating frame and stationary frame

  • 6701-2RS Deep groove ball bearing

Gears

  • Inner Servo driver gear

    m (module): 0.85

    z (number of teeth): 17

    D (pitch diameter): 12.75mm

  • Outer Servo driver gear:

    m: 0.85

    z: 22

    D: 18.7mm

Figure 6

  • Inner large spur gear:

    m: 0.85

    z: 60

    D: 52.75mm

Figure 7

  • Outer large spur gear

    m: 0.85

    z: 75

    D: 63.75mm

Figure 8

Functionality Tests

The following are a series of functionality tests designed to assess how closely the design choices of Spinova correlate to your requirements and specifications.

Sample Rotation (precision and stability)

  • Purpose: Ensure 3.4:3.8 rpm rotation ratio is maintained

  • Method: Use a tachometer to record rotation speed.

  • Criteria for success: Average speed for sample platform 3.4 +/- 0.1 RPM, avg speed for inner frame 3.8 +/- 0.1 RPM, stable over time with >4% variance

  • Notes: Although a variance of >2% is a typical and reasonable engineering standard for low speed mechanical systems, it can introduce a level of complexity for the hobby-level components that power the system. By setting a 4% variance limit, we accept a small performance deviation that is within a biologically acceptable range for E. coli. Further testing is an option to validate that E. coli remains biologically stable through growth curves and phenotype monitoring.

  • Relevant design choices:Chose FS90R continuous microservo motor with a range of rotation speeds and used gears to mediate transfer of torque.

  • Results: There was a discrepancy between the speeds we were able to set for the servo motors and how fast they could physically move given the load, specifically this was evident with the sample platform. The closest to ideal RPM we achieved was 2.5 RPM for the sample platform and 4.5 RPM for the inner rotating frame. Despite this, our BL21 cultures still saw comparable growth in the clinostat versus in the positive control aerated culture tube. This shows that non-earth gravity conditions are compatible with the growth of this strain

Portable Design (weight, volume, thermal tolerance check)

  • Purpose: Ensure Spinova meets physical constraints imposed for lab/shuttle use

  • Method: Measure weight of all components in CAD using assign material feature, and in reality, measure actual dimensions, place in incubator at 37°C

  • Criteria for success: Weight under 0.375 kg with less than a 10% error margin. Fit on a standard lab bench. Maintain structural integrity at biological sample culture temps 37°C

  • Notes: ESA technical constraints for drop tower experiments, which is a relatively small hardware component for an experiment, outlines mass and space allocations for small projects in the setting of a space mission (ESA). These constraints guided our goal weight for Spinova.

  • Relevant design choices: Used PLA plastic to 3D print plastic components and designed to fit on a laboratory bench while in use.

  • Results: Model weight was calculated in OnShape using the “assign material” feature and found to weigh 0.371 Kg, including estimated weight for non-3D printed materials. Actual weight was calculated with a lab scale and found to weigh 0.338 Kg. This resulted in a 9.87% error between the CAD and the physical model. The source of this error was likely due to the CAD model weight not accounting for the infill the print was actually run with. All Spinova 3D printed components were printed at 15% infill. The actual dimensions of Spinova were measured to be 251.00 x 251.00 x 149.48 mm. To test the thermal tolerance of Spinova, it was run continuously for two hours in a 37°C incubator without a sample. Periodic checks revealed no structural deformation. Subsequent wet lab experiments were run with Spinova and found metabolic processes remained optimal and intact when modified BL21 were cultured overnight in Spinova. A graph overlaid with non-Spinova control cultures is displayed.

Graph-1 Clinostat-Diagram Thermal-Analysis

Simple Assembly

  • Purpose: Ensure Spinova can be assembled in a timely manner without specialized knowledge or tools

  • Method: Time assembly of Spinova, then time assembly of Spinova for someone who did not design it.

  • Criteria for success: Assembly under 5 minutes, only using user manual instructions.

  • Relevant design choices: Some parts like the table legs are attached using super glue and don’t need to be installed every use. Tolerances were employed to allow close fits while maintaining freedom of rotation where appropriate.

  • Results: Spinova assembly time was recorded for various lab members, as well as individuals unaffiliated with the iGEM team. Subjects were given a small Philips head screwdriver, zip ties, and rubber hammer to assemble Spinova using the instructions provided in the user manual. An average assembly time of 270 seconds (4 minutes and 30 seconds) was recorded among seven participants. Note, time does not include time to adhere table legs to the outer stationary frame.

Assembly Time Trials

Check Out Our User Manual Here!

Bill of Materials

Spinova Bill

PHBV Filament Extruder: FilaNova

Spinova Diagram

Addressing Problems in Synthetic Biology

The filament extruder we are developing has broad potential within the field of synthetic biology and sustainable materials science.

  • Biomanufacturing:

    Enables the direct conversion of biologically produced PHA granules synthesized by E. coli or other engineered bacteria into fine, uniform filaments for 3D printing. This links microbial synthesis with material fabrication, supporting a closed-loop system for biodegradable plastics.

  • Circular Economy:

    Demonstrates how biologically derived materials can replace petroleum-based plastics in manufacturing, reducing waste and promoting environmentally responsible production cycles.

  • Synthetic Biology Integration:

    Allows exploration of how microbial engineering can be leveraged to produce polymers with tunable mechanical and thermal properties optimized for extrusion and printing.

  • Space Applications:

    Provides a foundation for in situ manufacturing using microbial systems to generate and process bioplastics in environments where material resupply is limited.

How it Works

Filament extruders use controlled heat and pressure to convert raw plastic granules into a spool of filament for 3D printing. The system operates by feeding, melting, extruding, cooling, and spooling the material in a continuous process.

Plastic granules are first loaded into a feeding box, where a rotating auger, powered by a Nema 23 stepper motor, transports the material forward through a cylindrical chamber. As the auger rotates, it both moves and compresses the granules, packing them together and pushing them toward the hot end.

Within the hot end, the metal tube is maintained at a high temperature to melt the plastic moving through into a uniform flow. The rotation of the auger and the slow application of heat slowly melt and mix the plastic granules as they move through the extruder, reducing air bubbles to ensure a solid filament core and stable diameter.

Upon exiting the hot end, the molten filament is immediately cooled by an external fan, which rapidly solidifies the material and preserves its shape. The exit is shaped to produce extrusion in the shape and diameter of standard 1.75 mm filament. This transition zone is critical for preventing deformation and ensuring dimensional accuracy.

Once cooled, the filament is guided into a spooling system driven by a Nema 17 motor, which winds and stretches the solidified filament onto a storage reel. The spool motor’s speed is synchronized with the extrusion rate to maintain steady filament tension and avoid slack formation. The speed of the spooling may be modified to stretch the filament to a desired diameter smaller than the extrusion head.

Together, the coordinated actions of the auger, hot end, cooling fan, and spooler produce a continuous, uniform filament suitable for use in FDM 3D printers.

Requirements

Our filament extruder consists of three main parts, all of which are controlled by the STM32F103RC motherboard via the Ender3 LCD screen: an auger drill, a spool, and a heater. The detailed software setup instructions are well-documented and available on our software page.

Motor Control

  • Push Fast: 1000 mm/min

  • Push Slow: 300 mm/min

Ideally, the auger drill should rotate at a faster rate than the spool. Due to the gear ratio for the spool, the actual rotation speed is slower than the input value, ensuring a consistent extrusion speed and uniform filament thickness.

Heater Control

The heater operates at two temperature settings: 200°C and 230°C. These values are chosen based on the melting temperature of polylactic acid (PLA) plastic, which ranges from approximately 150 to 180 °C. A higher temperature of 200 °C is adopted to ensure a clean flow through the nozzle. Additionally, the 230C also serves as an option to allow for faster heating when needed.

Dimensions

Collection Tray

Collection Tray

Collection Tray Anchors

Collection Anchor Trays

NEMA 23 Mount

NEMA 23 Mount

Nema 17 Support Block

Nema 17 Support Block

Extruder Functional Parts

  • Brass Plug Nozzle (½” NPT w ¼” hose connection)

    • Heat band 1” ID, 120v

  • ½” NPT female coupler

  • 4” x ½” Nipple

  • ½” Floor Flanges

  • ⅝” Brass Flanged Bushing

  • ⅝” Auger Bit

  • 91 x 14 x 5 cm pine wood base

  • 9 x 14 x 1 cm pine wood holding block

  • 9 x 6 x 1.75 cm oak wood extruder heat block

  • 15 x 14 x 5 cm pine wood end block

Electronics

  • Nema 23 stepper motor

  • Nema 17 stepper motor

  • 12v 10A power supply

  • Solid State Relay

  • Creality v4.2.2 motherboard (obtained from an Ender3)

    • 100k thermistor

Small Gear

Small Gear

Large Gear

Large Gear

Long Spacer

Long Spacer

Small Spacer

Small Spacer

Extra Large Gear

Extra Large Gear

Spacer Block

Spacer Block

Functionality Tests

Mechanical Functionality Test

  • Purpose: To ensure that the motor, drive mechanism, and screw assembly operate smoothly and provide consistent extrusion without vibration or slippage.

  • Method: The extruder motor was operated at incremental speeds (low and high). Material throughput was observed at each setting. Rotational consistency was observed using a tachometer.

  • Criteria for success: Smooth operation with stable torque; no abnormal noise or vibration. Continuous and uniform extrusion without clogging or material backflow.

  • Notes: Motor and gearbox were selected based on continuous torque requirements for PHA/PLA extrusion. The auger screw was machined from hardened steel for durability and smooth feeding. We also used bushings to stabilize the auger drill within the feeding box.

  • Results: Extrusion was continuous at all tested speeds with no signs of stalling.(will put tachometer RPM data here). (sentence about grams/min of what is being extruded)

Thermal System Functionality Test

  • Purpose: To verify that the hot end extruder maintains the correct temperature for uniform filament production.

  • Method: Heating of the hot end was set for 2 settings (200 °C and 230 °C) via the Ender 3 LCD Screen. The temperature was monitored via a thermistor.

  • Criteria for success: Temperature within ±2°C of target with less than 5% overshoot during ramp-up.

  • Notes: We used a homemade thermistor, which was created using a 100k resistor plugged into female-female leads with electrical tape around it. This was attached to the hot end to measure and control its heating.

  • Results: To go from 23 °C to 200 °C, it took 2 minutes and 13.8 seconds with a 4.7% overshoot. To go from 23 °C to 230 °C , it took 2 minutes and 51 seconds with a 4.5% overshoot. The temperature throughout the barrel was consistent

Cooling System Functionality Test

  • Purpose: To confirm proper cooling and solidification of the filament after extrusion, ensuring consistent diameter and surface finish.

  • Method: Cooling fan speed was varied, and the surface temperature of extruded filament was measured at 5 cm intervals downstream of the die.

  • Criteria for success: Filament solidifies before reaching the puller system; no deformation or warping is visible.

  • Notes: A 5V fan with adjustable speed and direction was used to direct airflow along the filament path.

  • Results: Filament surface temperature dropped from 200°C to 43°C within 8.63 cm of extrusion. Solidification is consistent across trials, with a smooth filament surface and no visible distortion.

Filament Quality & Dimensional Accuracy Test

  • Purpose: To evaluate filament roundness, diameter consistency, and surface finish for 3D printing applications.

  • Method: Filament samples were collected every 10 minutes for 1 hour. Diameters were measured using a micrometer at 8 points per sample. Surface was visually inspected under magnification.

  • Criteria for success: Diameter variation ≤ ±0.05 mm, roundness deviation ≤ 0.02 mm, smooth surface with no bubbles or burns.

  • Notes: All samples were extruded using PLA bits at a steady temperature of 200

  • Results:Average diameter 1.69 mm with a variation of approximately 5%. Surface finish was uniform and glossy. No evidence of air bubbles or charring.

Long-Duration Stability Test

  • Purpose: To verify that the extruder maintains consistent performance during extended operation.

  • Method: The Extruder operated continuously for 2 hours under standard extrusion parameters. Motor temperature, torque, and filament diameter were recorded hourly

  • Criteria for success: Stable operation with no degradation in output quality or overheating

  • Notes: The test simulates a continuous extrusion operation.

  • Results:The auger drill was consistently turning at a stable RPM of 7.8 with no signs of stalling for the entirety of the 2 hours. Heating of the hot end remained stable at 200 °C with +4.7% variation.

Safety and Fail-Safe Test

  • Purpose: To confirm that safety systems and automatic shutdown features function correctly in fault scenarios.

  • Method: Simulated an overheat condition and emergency stop activation during operation.

  • Criteria for success: Heaters and motors shut down automatically within 2 seconds of a fault trigger. Alarms are triggered and displayed on the control panel.

  • Notes: Emergency stop wired in series with the main power relay for full system cutoff.

  • Results: Once the thermistor is taken off and the temperature gets too hot, it triggered an alarm that makes a loud beeping noise and shuts off the heating power.

Bill of Materials

Extruder Bill-1 Extruder Bill-2

Conclusion & Future Implications

Spinova

Team PHAntom succeeded in creating a dual-axis random positioning machine that ties together the different sub-teams within the overarching project. Inputs from Modeling informed critical hardware settings which were used in wet lab experiments. Spinova allowed simulation of non-earth gravity conditions on bacterial culture samples. This capability allows our project to be extended more broadly to all types of space-based bacterial research.

The NASA Artemis missions are a collaboration between national and international partners to reach the goal of having sustained human presence on the moon (Daines & Bowman, 2025). By studying the effects of low-gravity and prolonged human space presence, scientists will learn what is needed to take the leap to where sights have already been set: Mars. NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture is a set of guidelines and documents that detail “the elements needed for long-term, human-led scientific discovery in deep space.” (Baird & Bowman, 2025) The work and data collected from the Artemis missions will add to the Architecture, including bridging the gap of five key issues to better understand how gravity affects cells and tissues. According to an international collaboration of 47 researchers, these five key gaps in knowledge surrounding cellular behavior in non-Earth gravity should be subject to further investigation in order to achieve prolonged human presence on an extraterrestrial body.

  1. "Identifying changes in the mechanical properties of single cells, tissue models, and organisms in response to gravity alterations.

  2. Assessing gravity-induced mechanical and functional alterations in complex 3D cell/tissue models.

  3. Evaluating the effects of altered gravity on epigenetics, genetic protection, and repair mechanisms.

  4. Investigating the stress response induced by altered gravity conditions and possible countermeasures.

  5. Understanding how gravity alterations affect other space-related physiological responses.

    6. (Davis et al, 2024)

"The technology presented by Spinova opens the door for these types of questions to be answered from Earth. Future iGEM and general research teams may use the technology and data gathered by Spinova to refine some answers to questions related to long-term space travel, pushing us forward toward a reawakened reverence of discovery. To study how we might grow human tissues in space for emergency transplants, Spinova creates an opportunity to determine the behavior of mammalian cells in microgravity. The opportunities just begin with Spinova.

From our data collection and design functionality tests, team PHAntom found that future iterations of Spinova would benefit from a more powerful motor. On the first runs of Spinova, the sample platform experienced stalling and non-continuous rotation from gear slippage. Our solution was to re-design the drive system to ensure better contact between the driver and driven gears. However, increasing the weight load of the motor may also be achieved with higher torque. "

Filanova

Conclusion

Our team successfully developed a functional filament extruder that integrates mechanical, thermal, and control systems into a cohesive unit. Inputs from design and modeling guided key parameters such as auger speed, hot end temperature, and spooling rate, ensuring consistent filament diameter and smooth operation. The extruder effectively converts plastic granules into uniform filament, demonstrating reliable melting and cooling processes. With proper coding and adjustments to the motor speed ratios, we will be able to achieve an optimal spooling rate. This overall achievement not only validates our design but also provides a foundation for further optimization in sustainable filament production and closed-loop 3D printing systems.

Implications

In the route between raw bioplastic produced by bacteria to 3D bioplastic printing, FilaNova bridges the gap. After the bioplastic is initially extracted and purified, it cannot be used in 3D printing immediately. The purification process likely includes some form of recrystallization, which would deposit the pure bioplastic as a fluffy and airy substance. FilaNova melts down the bioplastic in any form and extrudes it as a uniform length of filament, which can then be fed into a 3D printer. 3D printing is a crucial component of Martian colony, as resupply missions are incredibly expensive and infrequent. Not only can freshly extracted bioplastic be melted down into usable filament, waste plastic can also be recycled into new materials. As tested, fluffy recrystallized PLA can be melted and extruded, but small chunks of PLA were also successful feedstocks in FilaNova testing. Implemented in a closed loop system like a Martian colony, being able to reuse old material is mission critical. When Earth is over 200 million miles away, resource optimization is crucial.

Future Work

From our design testing and extrusion trials, our team found that future iterations of the filament extruder would benefit from more precise motor control and temperature regulation. During initial runs, inconsistencies in filament diameter were observed due to variations in spooling speed and extrusion rate. A potential solution involves refining the control code to better synchronize the Nema 23 and Nema 17 motors, as well as integrating a closed-loop feedback system to automatically adjust motor speeds in real time. Future versions may also explore different auger geometries or barrel materials to improve melting efficiency and throughput. Lastly, while we went with a horizontal approach to minimize the reliance on gravity in the extrusion process, it may be worth it to test the extruder in microgravity conditions to test and optimize it for space exploration.

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