ESA
A sample part 3D printed on the International Space Station has successfully made its way back to Earth for testing.
It’s the first time a metal 3D printed part has been printed on orbit and brought back to the Earth’s surface, and follows a series of metal 3D printing firsts on board the International Space Station since January 2024 when the European Space Agency installed a first in-space metal additive manufacturing system on board the Columbus laboratory module.
The sample is now set to undergo testing at the Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory at ESTEC for comparison with samples printed on Earth to understand the impact of microgravity conditions on the printing process. A second sample will be handed over to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
While polymer 3D printers have been on board the ISS and printing parts since 2014, when this metal technology arrived on board the ISS last January, the aim was to 'create the first metal 3D printer to operate under microgravity.' The project, known initially as "Metal3D", began in 2016 when the ESA awarded a contract to Airbus Defence & Space. Back in June, the ESA announced 'a giant leap forward for in-orbit manufacturing' after the completion of a first printed ‘S-curve’ test line on a metal direct energy deposition technology demonstrator developed by Airbus and partners including Cranfield University and AddUp.
In a post shared this week, ESA said research into in-space manufacturing would be ‘crucial for self-sufficiency, allowing astronauts to manufacture essential parts, repair equipment and create tools on demand, without relying on costly resupply missions.’
