Space & Astronomy

3D printer installed on space station

By T.K. Randall
November 19, 2014 ·  14 comments

Barry Wilmore installing the 3D printer aboard the space station. Image Credit: NASA TV The device, which arrived at the International Space Station back in September aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule, is part of a project designed to investigate whether 3D printing technology could make space exploration cheaper and more efficient.

While up until now it has been necessary to send every single tool and replacement part up to the station on a rocket, 3D printing could enable the astronauts to create what they need on the fly without having to wait for another cargo ship to arrive."This is a very exciting day for me and the rest of the team," said Mike Snyder, lead engineer of 'Made in Space'. "We had to conquer many technical challenges to get the 3D printer to this stage."

The next step will be to see if the device will actually function as intended and then to compare what it makes to an identical object created using a 3D printer on the ground.

If all goes according to plan and the technology proves successful then it may not be long before devices like this one become a common sight on all future long-haul space missions.

Source: Yahoo! News | Comments (14)

Tags: ISS, 3D Printer