IIT Madras’ secret Mars stash: Waterless concrete, bulletproof foams, and living hearts!

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

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Martian Concrete

IIT Madras’ ExTeM team crafted waterless concrete using Mars-abundant sulphur, ensuring future habitats meet Earth-like durability—essential for long-term human survival on the Red Planet.

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Impact Shields

Microgravity experiments aid the development of metal foams, shielding space stations from deadly meteorite strikes—critical for the Bharatiya Space Station and Mars missions.

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Gravity-Free Fibers

Zeblon optical fibers, designed in zero gravity, solve Earth’s manufacturing challenges, unlocking next-gen communications for space and terrestrial applications.

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Space Bioprinting

IIT Madras’ bioprinted organs in microgravity pave the way for functional hearts, where Earth-bound gravity limits tissue formation—offering hope for future space medicine.

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Diamond Growth

Space-grown diamond single crystals surpass Earth-made ones in quality, potentially revolutionizing quantum computing and precision optics for deep-space exploration.

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Solar Power

Engineers are designing in-space solar cells to boost energy generation on Mars and beyond, reducing reliance on heavy Earth-launched panels.

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Extreme Polymers

Functional optical polymers, developed for high-end space optics, enhance imaging and navigation systems crucial for Mars rovers and satellites.

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Drop Tower

IIT Madras’ Microgravity Drop Tower, the world’s fourth-largest, simulates weightlessness, testing futuristic materials for planetary bases and deep-space travel.

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ISRO Alliance

A powerhouse collaboration with ISRO focuses on thermal management tech, ensuring spacecraft withstand Mars’ brutal climate while advancing India’s space ambitions.

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