NASA to Send First 3D Printer to Space in May

[Brian_Krassenstein]

Nasa expects to launch the first ever 3D printer into space sometime later next month. The mission will take astronauts to the International Space Station, where they will likely become the first to ever 3D print an object in outer space.

http://3dprint.com/2061/nasa-3d-printer-space/

3D Printers could save NASA millions of dollars as they eliminate the need to bring extra parts along. This printer is capable of printing out about 30% of all the parts that are currently housed at the space station. Exciting times are upon us, and this is certainly one of them. Here is a picture of the 3D printer which will make the voyage, created by a company called "Made In Space".

[RobH2]

That's fascinating. Just think about printing "without" gravity. There will be no need for supports, no overhang issues, perfect bridges of any length and perfect ceilings of any size. Imagine what our prints could do if we had antigravity chambers just like we have climate control chambers. And, since deposition is a "contact" process, it should work perfectly. If it were not, then there would be plastic streams of spaghetti all over the place.

I wish I could go with them and play with it.

[RobH2]

Now the print is done. Amazing:

http://www.space.com/27861-3d-printe...irst-part.html

[Geoff]

That's fascinating. Just think about printing "without" gravity. There will be no need for supports, no overhang issues, perfect bridges of any length and perfect ceilings of any size. Imagine what our prints could do if we had antigravity chambers just like we have climate control chambers. And, since deposition is a "contact" process, it should work perfectly. If it were not, then there would be plastic streams of spaghetti all over the place.

I wish I could go with them and play with it.

Didn't even think about that.. wow, it would be nearly the perfect printing environment, temperature perfectly controlled, humidity etc... no gravity as you sad... and technically there is no up or down, so this thing is going to be printing, at all angles, racing around the earth at a million miles and hour... mind blown.

[Cannon Gray]

3D printing produces imperfect surfaces. It may work on Earth, but space requires a different level of accuracy, since mistakes are practically unacceptable there. A flawed surface can crack and be damaged by countless objects flying in space.