The use of Brazilian Green Plastic on the International Space Station is the topic of the documentary "Mundo Inovação: Imprimindo o Futuro" ("Innovation World: Printing the Future"), to premiere on Discovery Channel on Saturday, November 19, at 11:55 am (Brasília time). The production reveals how the technology, developed by Braskem from sugarcane, can help man reach Mars.

The one-hour long film follows the work of the engineers from Braskem and Made in Space, a leading U.S. company in the development of 3D printers for zero gravity operation and a NASA supplier, to enable manufacture in space with plastic from renewable sources.

The production features the entire process of creating the material, including testing on the International Space Station. The first joint mission is to print in space the tube connectors that irrigate plants, enabling food production.

3D printers will play a key role in longer space travel, which should allow man to reach the "red planet." Tooling on the International Space Station will minimize the risks of damage to rocket loads during launch and reduce the amount of space junk produced during missions.

From the corridors of Made in Space, through Braskem's laboratories in Brazil, to NASA tanks, where the astronauts prepare for zero-gravity training, Discovery's documentary covers the entire chain of companies and organizations dedicated to arriving at Mars - the next great space conquest of our civilization. The planet keeps many answers about the solar system and about humanity itself.

Service

Premiere: Saturday, November 19, 11:55 am (reruns on Monday, November 21, and Tuesday, December 6, at midnight, Brasília time)

"Mundo Inovação: Imprimindo o Futuro" is a Discovery production, made by Produtora Floresta, with sponsorship of Braskem. Elisabetta Zenatti is the general director for Produtora Floresta. For Discovery, the project was supervised by Cris Orlandi (branded entertainment), Renato Lima, and Michela Giorelli.

About Green Plastic

The I'm GreenT Green Polyethylene is made from ethylene obtained from sugarcane ethanol. Its major differentiator is its contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, as it captures carbon dioxide during its production process. It also has the same characteristics of traditional polyethylene, that is, it does not require machinery adaptations and is 100% recyclable. Braskem's Green Plastic plant has a production capacity of 200,000 metric tons per year.

About Braskem

Braskem is the largest manufacturer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, with an annual output of over 20 million metric tons, including other basic chemical and petrochemical products, with an annual revenue of R$54 billion. With the aim of improving the lives of people, creating sustainable solutions in chemistry and plastics, Braskem is present in over 70 countries, with 8,000 members, and operates 40 industrial units located in Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Mexico - the latter in partnership with the Mexico-based company Idesa.

Braskem on social media

www.facebook.com/BraskemSA
www.linkedin.com/company/braskem
www.twitter.com/BraskemSA

About Made in Space 

Founded in 2010 as the world's first space manufacturing company, Made in Space, Inc. (MIS) has become a world leader in utilizing additive manufacturing for aerospace applications. In 2014, a NASA/Made in Space team sent the world's first 3D printer to the International Space Station (ISS). In partnership with CASIS, managers of the ISS National Lab, Made in Space sent early this year the first commercial 3D printer to the ISS. Additionally, the company operates in the manufacture and assembly of large structures in the vacuum of space using its Archinaut architecture. Made in Space continues to advance the mission of enabling people to live and work in space.

About Discovery

Discovery Channel is a global brand dedicated to creating high-quality content based on real life. Its mission is to inform, entertain and satisfy the curiosity of its audience, through various shows in the fields of science, technology, nature, history, human adventure, and world culture. Launched in the United States in 1985 and in Latin America in 1994, Discovery Channel is present in more than 200 countries and territories.
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