Education

UF researchers explore using lasers to fold and shape materials for space construction

University of Florida engineers are investigating whether lasers can be used to bend and shape materials in space, potentially allowing astronauts to build structures on the moon using local resources such as lunar soil converted into glass. The project, led by associate professor Victoria M. Miller of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and UF’s Astraeus Space Institute, recently wrapped up a DARPA-funded phase of research. The approach could overcome the challenge of transporting large conventional manufacturing equipment to space.

Sources: UF News