Hello All,
 You may be interested in a project based on 3D manufacturing we've started. Several folks from various newsgroups have been working on several modular spaceship components, which I hope will enter production in the next few weeks. These parts can be used as bits for conversions, or to build "stand alone" ships from scratch.
You can vote for which modular components should be produced using a doodle poll at http://doodle.com/vax6gcvhpevqnn8i
Once a dozen votes are collected, the selected parts will be revised and will enter "beta" production in 1-2 weeks. Pictures of the candidate components are at http://s871.photobucket.com/albums....tecture
After the selection, the component prototypes will be improved and the components will be sold at:
http://shapeways.com/shops/objects
Note: The pictures are just prototypes. More detail will be added after this vote is used to downselect. They are designed to be manufactured in a variety of Shapeways materials.
Thanks for all the help!
Sample spaceship based on modular design:
Concept ship #3 is a deep space exploration craft. Sporting a #42 prow with #42a weapons attachment, a #48 sensor system, and a #49 shield generator. #33 Maneuver thrusters and a #34 gyroscope provide attitude and docking control. A #35 cargo complex provides ample stores for those long explorations. Propulsion is provided by a #10 engine. Concept 3 weighs in at about 1.9cm^3 for this 5.1cm (2 inch) craft, so Shapeways cost would be about $4.79 in WSF.
