Master Replicas, creators of pop-culture and scientific memorabilia, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by creating a 3D printable version of Buzz Aldrin’s bootprint.
Although Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon, Aldrin took two pictures of his footprint which NASA used to study the effects of pressure on the moon and lunar dust.
Artist Whitney Potter was the first to combine these two images using stereoscopic imaging to create a 3D model. Master Replicas’ artist, Jeff Stanislawski, developed this further to create a life-size 3D printable version which portrays every detail of the footprint.
“Short of going to the moon and pouring some plaster into Buzz Aldrin’s footprint, this is as close as you’re going to get to it,” said Steve Dymszo, chief executive and co-founder of Master Replicas.
Buy Your Own 3D Print of Buzz Aldrin’s Bootprint
The resulting boot print is 17 x 11 inches (43 x 28 cm) and nearly identical to the print still on the moon. To 3D print the models, Master Replica uses a high-end resin called Smooth-On which ensures no damage can be done to this precious memento.
“You can chuck these things across the warehouse,” promises Dymszo. “We’ve thrown them 30 to 40 feet [9 to 12 meters], and they just bounce.”
The company has already received over 400 preorders for the boot print and, thanks to 3D printing technology, can continue to make the replicas to order.
If you’re interested in celebrating this historic event too, you can purchase a replica of the boot print from the Master Replicas’ website. The memento entitled “One Small Step” will set you back $195 but could make a great talking point at dinner parties.
Source: Space.com
License: The text of "Celebrate the Moon Landing with a 3D Printed Bootprint" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.