NASA announced that in August it will install the first 3D printer on the International Space Station, which is orbiting Earth at an altitude of about 420 kilometers. The printer will inaugurate, albeit on a small scale, the production of objects in space - a milestone that could prove historic in the future.
3D printers are experiencing rapid growth, both at the consumer level (small 3D printers) and at the industrial level (large 3D printers). Many experts predict that 3D printing technology (or “additive manufacturing,” because the product is produced by adding successive layers of raw materials such as plastics and metals) can radically transform industry – even more so if production/printing in space becomes possible in the future.
NASA announced, according to Space.com, that a 3D printer has just passed final testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, paving the way for its “launch” this summer. The printer was built, in collaboration with NASA, by the start-up company with the eloquent name “Made in Space” and based in California.
NASA now has a separate space 3D printing program called “3D Print.” Its goal is to initially utilize production/printing to create various components in space that will be needed for space flights. If this really happens, then space flights will become cheaper in the future.
The first 3D printer is expected to travel to the International Space Station with the next cargo that the private company SpaceX will carry with the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon robotic capsule, although an exact date has not yet been given.
NASA engineers have already printed some objects with this printer on Earth and will print the exact same ones in space, so that they can then compare them to see how production/printing is affected in space microgravity conditions. In total, the printer will initially print 21 tools and components, which will be transported to Earth for detailed analysis by engineers.
If all goes well, plans are underway to permanently install and use a 3D printer in space. In fact, there are discussions about giving anyone interested the opportunity, upon request, to place printing orders in space with the machine in question.
Source: defencenet.gr
