Space exploration is currently limited by one crucial factor: access to supplies. Solving this issue could allow humanity to truly expand into the solar system. Today’s long-duration missions depend heavily on costly resupply flights from Earth, a system unsustainable for deep space exploration.
To reduce this dependency, space agencies are exploring two solutions: in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and 3D printing. ISRU could provide vital resources like oxygen and metals from local sources, while 3D printing offers the ability to create spare parts and tools on-demand in space.
NASA has experimented with 3D printing on the International Space Station (ISS), but only with plastic. In August, Europe’s ESA achieved a major milestone by printing metal in space for the first time.
This breakthrough was made possible by Airbus’s Metal 3D Printer, a 397-pound (180 kg) device brought to the ISS in early 2023 aboard the Cygnus NG-20 resupply mission. Installed in the ISS’s European Columbus module, the printer spent months preparing for its first operation.
Unlike polymer printers, this one uses lasers to melt stainless steel at around 1,400°C (4,625°F). The steel is melted in a controlled environment to prevent it from floating in zero gravity. The high temperatures require the printer to be sealed, with its internal oxygen replaced by nitrogen to prevent oxidation and ensure safety.
This achievement marks a significant step toward reducing reliance on Earth-based supplies, paving the way for future space exploration.
Source: Autoevolution
