NASA Plans to Recycle on the Moon and Mars

In 2015, NASA awarded Washington-based technology firm Tethers Unlimited, Inc. (TUI) a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to continue developing its Positrusion Recycler, which recycles plastic waste into 3D printable filament, for use aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA was pleased with the direction the technology was going, and last summer gave a Phase III SBIR to TUI division Firmamentum to create a 3D printer/recycler combo for the ISS, an experiment in closed-cycle manufacturing in outer space called the Refabricator. The machine, which is the first to combine 3D printing and recycling in one device, is about the size of a mini fridge, and is able to melt down a plastic component and print out a brand new component from the same plastic. Next spring, the Refabricator will be sent up to the ISS and be used to recycle, then print out, plastic in outer space, but the ultimate destination goal for the machine is somewhere farther than the ISS: the Moon and Mars. Read more at 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/186521/refabricator-device-to-iss/

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The Refabricator system is made to investigate the possibilities of recycling and reusing plastic for 3D printing in long-term space missions. NASA cites Refabricator is to demonstrate a sustainable model for the production, recycling and reuse of plastic parts and waste. which reduces the quality of the material and limits the possible number of processing of the same plastic. In turn, the Refabricator does not use shredding, so the plastic can be recycled for re-3D printing an unlimited number of times. In addition, the system is capable of handling foam and plastic bags that are used to package materials and modules for delivery to the ISS.