Complex-structured 3D-printed wireframes as asteroid analogues for tomographic microwave radar measurements

This study introduces a fused filament fabrication (FFF) process for manufacturing complex-structured asteroid analogue objects to be applied in tomographic microwave radar measurements and inversion studies. We describe an approach control the volume fraction of plastic and, thereby, effective relative permittivity within tetrahedral wireframe which serves as metamaterial representing actual composition. To determine plastic–air mixture, we use exponential model. In this study, two based on shape asteroids 1998 KY26 (25143) Itokawa were 3D-printed scale suitable laboratory using ABS with controlled constant electric permittivity. The results obtained suggest that solid powdery minerals can modelled proposed technique particular, numerical structural models earlier studies approximated by analogues.