Flight Test Sheds New Light on In-Space 3D Printing Propellant Slosh
The Galactic 7 flight test aboard Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity sent two university payloads — from the University of California, Berkeley and Purdue University — on suborbital flight tests supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program. The reusable suborbital spaceship reached an altitude of more than 54 miles and provided approximately three minutes of microgravity.
Jointly developed by the UC Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the multi-material manufacturing technique is known as computed axial lithography.The space-based version aims to rapidly meet astronauts’ urgent needs. These might range from printing spare parts for spacecraft machinery to addressing medical-related issues during long-duration missions. The technology could even be used to bioprint organs in low Earth orbit for patients on Earth.
“We’re looking to print a range of things in space, from mechanical engineering tools to clips for closing wounds,” said principal investigator Hayden Taylor. “We’re also looking into restorative dental applications. So, if an astronaut chips a tooth on a long mission and we have a scan of their mouth, this machine could print a crown on demand.
Flight Opportunities Program Manufacturing Materials 3-D Printing NASA Centers & Facilities NASA Directorates Space Technology Mission Directorate Technology
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