NEW YORK: The Huntsville-based Marshall Space Flight Center of NASA received a special shipment from the International Space Station (ISS). The shipment contained the first objects to be built using a 3D printer in space.
According to reports, the items were built as part of the “3D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration” that was carried out in space with the aim of showcasing that modern technology allows manufacturing of a range of tools and parts even in zero gravity.
This, according to experts, is just the first step in the direction of setting up a machine shop that will use addictive manufacturing technology and will print objects on demand. Such a machine shop will play a vital role in long-duration space missions and human expeditions in other planets that do not have the ability of provide Earth-based logistics support. In short, this in-space manufacturing tech will allow NASA to explore asteroids, Mars and other similar locations more effortlessly.
