The 3D printing service provider Slant 3D has added a new filament to its range. The material, called “Moon Rocks”, consists of a lunar regolith simulant and is designed to mimic the properties of real moon rock. The filament was developed by Virtual Foundry.
Lunar regolith simulant is an artificially produced substance that mimics the chemical and physical properties of the surface material of the moon. NASA and other space organisations use it to test lunar vehicles and equipment under realistic conditions. The material consists mainly of basalt, which gives the printed object a characteristic matte black, rock-like appearance.
Slant 3D has integrated the Moon Rocks filament into its Etsy platform and in-house 3D printing API. Customers can now choose it as a premium option for their print jobs.
CEO Gabe Bentz explained the decision to use the material: “Our API recently hit some major usage milestones. We thought about what we could offer our users as a particularly unusual option. Moon Rocks seemed like a good fit.”
The new filament is aimed primarily at tech-savvy users and enthusiasts looking for unique materials for their 3D printing projects. Moon Rocks is priced at $1 per gram or $800 per spool, making it one of the more expensive options in Slant 3D’s offering.
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