3D-printed hydrogel space shuttle and astronaut on the Moon

A space shuttle and astronaut on the Moon, illustrating the possibilities of hydrogel-based 3D printing.

These models were made by a team from the Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group (PBM) at Ghent University in Belgium.

In a follow-up study to a successful Discovery activity, the researchers are testing the potential of 3D-printed hydrogels – materials that can soak up large amounts of water – to serve as highly-effective radiation shields.