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Mercury is still shrinking as it cools in the aftermath of its formation; new research narrows down estimates of just how much it has contracted.

The Hyades, Pleiades and Hercules star clusters make for excellent targets in the late summer months.

This quiz will explore the facts, the fun and the fascinating quirks of our solar system’s speedster, Mercury

The effects of Earth's changing climate is driving up the number of legal suits related to environmental issues

Google and NASA are trialing an AI-powered medical assistant that could help astronauts care for themselves when mission control is out of reach.

Think you know Earth's moon? Test your knowledge in a lunar quiz!

In a first, scientists have recreated the formation of the first ever molecules in the universe to learn more about early star formation.

On Episode 173 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and and Tariq Malik look back at the week in space news.

Beyond powering lights, it's also important to think about where all that light would go.

The second largest moon in the solar system will cast its shadow over Saturn on Aug. 19.

What's that strange light down the road?

"Being able to send something out there would enable us to take a lot more precise data than we currently can."

A team of scientists have made a discovery that could help solve one of Earth's greatest mysteries, where did our planet's water come from? Using powerful radio telescopes, the researchers have detected water vapour in a comet located far beyond Neptune's orbit, and the results are changing our understanding of how life sustaining water arrived on our world.

SpaceX is targeting Aug. 24 for the 10th Flight Test for its Starship rocket, following delays from a pad accident and May's failed mission.

An ongoing civil war in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes and move to camps, where a lack of water and sanitation infrastructure, along with heavy rains, are fueling a massive cholera outbreak. What role does the environment play in how the outbreak is spreading?

Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket will launch NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission no earlier than (NET) Sep. 29.

Analyzing embryo movements in uteruslike environments could offer clues to improving the success rate of in vitro fertilization

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) GRX-810 is a new metal alloy developed by NASA for 3D printing parts that can withstand the extreme temperatures of rocket engines, allowing affordable printing of high-heat parts.NASA

Until now, additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, of engine components was limited by the lack of affordable metal alloys that could withstand the extreme temperatures of spaceflight. Expensive metal alloys were the only option for 3D printing engine parts until NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, developed the GRX-810 alloy.

The primary metals in the GRX-810 alloy include nickel, cobalt, and chromium. A ceramic oxide coating on the powdered metal particles increases its heat resistance and improves performance. Known as oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, these powders were challenging to manufacture at a reasonable cost when the project started. 

However, the advanced dispersion coating technique developed at Glenn employs resonant acoustic mixing. Rapid vibration is applied to a container filled with the metal powder and nano-oxide particles. The vibration evenly coats each metal particle with the oxide, making them inseparable. Even if a manufactured part is ground down to powder and reused, the next component will have the qualities of ODS.

The benefits over common alloys are significant – GRX-10 could last up to a year at 2,000°F under stress loads that would crack any other affordable alloy within hours. Additionally, 3D printing parts using GRX-810 enables more complex shapes compared to metal parts manufactured with traditional methods.

Elementum 3D, an Erie, Colorado-based company, produces GRX-810 for customers in quantities ranging from small batches to over a ton. The company has a co-exclusive license for the NASA-patented alloy and manufacturing process and continues to work with the agency under a Space Act Agreement to improve the material.

“A material under stress or a heavy load at high temperature can start to deform and stretch almost like taffy,” said Jeremy Iten, chief technical officer with Elementum 3D. “Initial tests done on the large-scale production of our GRX-810 alloy showed a lifespan that’s twice as long as the small-batch material initially produced, and those were already fantastic.”

Commercial space and other industries, including aviation, are testing GRX-810 for additional applications. For example, one Elementum 3D customer, Vectoflow, is testing a GRX-810 flow sensor. Flow sensors monitor the speed of gases flowing through a turbine, helping engineers optimize engine performance. However, these sensors can burn out in minutes due to extreme temperatures. Using GRX-810 flow sensors could improve airplane fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and hardware replacements.

Working hand-in-hand with industry, NASA is driving technology developments that are mutually beneficial to the agency and America’s space economy. Learn more: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

Read More Share

Details Last Updated Aug 15, 2025 Related Terms

• Technology Transfer & Spinoffs
• Glenn Research Center
• Spinoffs
• Technology Transfer

Explore More 2 min read NASA Seeks Industry Feedback on Fission Surface Power Article 3 days ago 2 min read NASA Glenn Earns Commercial Invention of the Year Award Article 3 days ago 2 min read NASA Glenn Shoots for the Stars During WNBA All-Star Weekend Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics

Missions

Humans in Space

Glenn Research Center

3D-Printed Habitat Challenge

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) GRX-810 is a new metal alloy developed by NASA for 3D printing parts that can withstand the extreme temperatures of rocket engines, allowing affordable printing of high-heat parts.NASA

Until now, additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, of engine components was limited by the lack of affordable metal alloys that could withstand the extreme temperatures of spaceflight. Expensive metal alloys were the only option for 3D printing engine parts until NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, developed the GRX-810 alloy.

The primary metals in the GRX-810 alloy include nickel, cobalt, and chromium. A ceramic oxide coating on the powdered metal particles increases its heat resistance and improves performance. Known as oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, these powders were challenging to manufacture at a reasonable cost when the project started. 

However, the advanced dispersion coating technique developed at Glenn employs resonant acoustic mixing. Rapid vibration is applied to a container filled with the metal powder and nano-oxide particles. The vibration evenly coats each metal particle with the oxide, making them inseparable. Even if a manufactured part is ground down to powder and reused, the next component will have the qualities of ODS.

The benefits over common alloys are significant – GRX-10 could last up to a year at 2,000°F under stress loads that would crack any other affordable alloy within hours. Additionally, 3D printing parts using GRX-810 enables more complex shapes compared to metal parts manufactured with traditional methods.

Elementum 3D, an Erie, Colorado-based company, produces GRX-810 for customers in quantities ranging from small batches to over a ton. The company has a co-exclusive license for the NASA-patented alloy and manufacturing process and continues to work with the agency under a Space Act Agreement to improve the material.

“A material under stress or a heavy load at high temperature can start to deform and stretch almost like taffy,” said Jeremy Iten, chief technical officer with Elementum 3D. “Initial tests done on the large-scale production of our GRX-810 alloy showed a lifespan that’s twice as long as the small-batch material initially produced, and those were already fantastic.”

Commercial space and other industries, including aviation, are testing GRX-810 for additional applications. For example, one Elementum 3D customer, Vectoflow, is testing a GRX-810 flow sensor. Flow sensors monitor the speed of gases flowing through a turbine, helping engineers optimize engine performance. However, these sensors can burn out in minutes due to extreme temperatures. Using GRX-810 flow sensors could improve airplane fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and hardware replacements.

Working hand-in-hand with industry, NASA is driving technology developments that are mutually beneficial to the agency and America’s space economy. Learn more: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

Read More Share

Details Last Updated Aug 15, 2025 Related Terms

• Technology Transfer & Spinoffs
• Glenn Research Center
• Spinoffs
• Technology Transfer

Explore More 2 min read NASA Seeks Industry Feedback on Fission Surface Power Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA Glenn Earns Commercial Invention of the Year Award Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA Glenn Shoots for the Stars During WNBA All-Star Weekend Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics

Missions

Humans in Space

Glenn Research Center

3D-Printed Habitat Challenge