The first metal 3D printer used in space is to the International Space Station. The Cygnus NG-20 resupply mission, which carries the 180 kg (397 lb) printer, was launched on Tuesday and is expected to arrive in SSI THURSDAY.
Astronaut Andreas Mogensen will install the printer, which developed for the . The machine will then be controlled and monitored from Earth.
Polymer-based 3D printers have been , but metal 3D printing in orbit would pose a trickier challenge. The machine will use a form of stainless steel often used for water treatment and medical implants due to its corrosion resistance.
Once the stainless steel wire is pushed into the print area, the printer melts it with a laser said to be a million times more powerful than a typical laser pointer. The printer then adds the molten metal to the print.
The melting point of the metal is around 1400°C and the printer will operate in a completely airtight box. Before the printer can operate, it must vent its oxygen into space and replace its atmosphere with nitrogen. Otherwise, the molten metal would oxidize when exposed to oxygen.
Given the higher temperatures used compared to a plastic 3D printer (which heats up to around 200°C), “the safety of the crew and the Station itself must be ensured, while the possibilities of maintenance are also very limited,” said the ESA technical manager. Rob Postema . “If successful, the strength, conductivity and rigidity of the metal would take the potential of 3D printing in space to new heights.”
Four test prints are planned. The printer will reproduce reference prints that were created on Earth. The two versions will be compared to help scientists understand how print quality and performance differ in space. Although each print will weigh less than 250g (8.8 ounces) and be smaller than a can of soda, it will take the printer between two and four weeks to create each one. The printer will only run for four hours a day at most, as its fans and motor are quite noisy and the ISS is noise regulated.
If the experiment goes well, it will allow astronauts and space agencies to print necessary tools or parts without having to send the items on resupply missions. Metal 3D printing could also help build a lunar base from recycled materials or (lunar soil and rock). This can also be useful for missions to Mars.