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AI-assisted design · NASA Goddard

Lunar Sample Collection Container

Designed as part of the 2023 Power Source Summit Challenge. Attendees were challenged to give a group of engineers and scientists from NASA Goddard requirements for a sample collection container that could hold the sample vessel, be manipulated by a robot or a human, and meet a myriad of other requirements. We demonstrated that we could go from requirements to parts in less than 36 hours.

Requirements to part
< 36 hr
Material
6061-T6
Process
CNC

Machined through ProtoLabs' NASA partnership. Read more at Protolabs.

Lunar sample collection container
Lunar sample collection container, second view

Second view

The generatively designed frame around the sample vessel, machined from a single billet. Grip features for both a robotic end effector and a gloved hand.

Requirements on Monday, hardware by Wednesday?

That's the cycle this part was built on. One form, one reply from an engineer.