A 3D printer designed for use in space has been constructed by researchers in China. Initial reports suggest it is currently the largest and most versatile device of its type anywhere on (or above) Earth.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences designed the new printer, specifically created to operate in the microgravity environment of outer space. The device was created to quickly manufacture parts needed for spacecraft while the ship is in orbit.
If this new design is successful at producing affordable spacecraft equipment quickly, the invention could eliminate the need to carry much of the redundant equipment currently carried aboard spacecraft. Such an advance could significantly lower the cost of reaching space and carrying out missions.
In March, NASA launched its own 3D printer to the International Space Station (ISS). However, Chinese researchers state their device is able to print out parts that are 20 percent larger that its American counterpart.
China is not participating in the ISS program, but its space agency hopes to launch its own space station by the year 2020. The nation has been banned from the ISS since 2011, following a ruling by the U.S. Congress, which forbids official American contact with the Chinese space program over concerns on national security. This new 3D printer, and technology derived from the invention, could be used to assist in the construction and maintenance of the upcoming Chinese-managed orbiting outpost.
"Scientists with both CAS's Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology and the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization were behind the two-year-long project," the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.
During the 93rd test flights conducted in France, the 3D printer was shown to operate perfectly in a microgravity environment. This included product construction from five different materials, using two differing printer technologies.
The printer is capable of production in a range of gravitational environments, accelerations, even while on a vibrating surface, researchers announced.
One of the goals that NASA has set for itself in the near future is placing a human crew on the surface of Mars. Currently, that mission is scheduled to touch down on the Red Planet sometime in the middle of 2030s. Utilizing 3D printers on board these flights could allow space travelers to construct replacement equipment as needed, greatly reducing the cost and timescale of such a mission.
