Astronauts from the International Space Stations or ISS are now testing 3D printed bandages, which could produce it from their own skin cells.
Astronauts Test 3D Printed Bandages
As per the news story by ZME Science, the 25 years of existence of the ISS has been relatively safe for the astronauts it houses as there were no major catastrophic accidents inside the orbiting space station.
However, that does not automatically mean that the astronauts are free from any risks of getting into accidents or other medical emergencies while orbiting the Earth.
It is worth noting that going out of our home planet would also mean that the ISS astronauts do not have access to the modern health equipment that the state-of-the-art hospitals on Earth would readily have.
It is the primary reason why even civilians going to space have to pass a stringent medical examination and training before leaving Earth. That said, astronauts staying for a much longer time on the space station need this the most.
Space exploration has massively advanced over time already. Thus, the medical infrastructure needs to follow the influx of space missions of astronauts as well.
3D Printed Bandage for Space
As such, astronauts from the space station are now testing a bioink 3D printer, which carries the same design as a tape dispenser.
The handheld 3D printer produces bandages, which are made from the own skin cells of the person who will be using them.
According to the news story by 3D Printing Industry, the German Space Agency or the DLR launched the ISS experiment in the latter part of December 2021.
DLR launched the 3D printer to space via the 24th resupply mission of Elon Musk's space firm, SpaceX.
The commercial resupply mission of SpaceX brought the 3D printer that goes by the name BioPrint FirstAid Handheld Bioprinter to the ISS.
The bandages that are made from the cells of the astronauts could further help their skin to heal in space at a faster rate.
The project manager of the German Space Agency, Michael Becker, told ZME Science in the same report that skin injuries of astronauts on space missions "need to be treated quickly and effectively."
The German Space Station project manager further claimed that "mobile bioprinting could significantly accelerate the healing process." He added that the handheld 3D printer could also be useful on Earth.
In the meantime, the 3D printer is still in its testing phase. Therefore, it is not yet using the skin cells of the astronauts.
Related Article : Scientists Successfully 3D Print Human Corneas; This Breakthrough Can Be the Solution for Transplant Shortage
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Written by Teejay Boris
