Steel Produced in House Returns to Earth for Testing
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Feb 28, 2025
For the primary time, a metallic 3D-printed element created in house has returned to Earth for evaluation. The half, manufactured aboard the Worldwide House Station (ISS) utilizing ESA’s Steel 3D Printer, has now arrived on the European House Analysis and Expertise Centre (ESTEC) within the Netherlands for detailed examination.
This cutting-edge printer, developed by Airbus in collaboration with its companions, was put in within the Columbus module of the ISS by ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen throughout his Huginn mission in January 2024. The power achieved its inaugural print in June 2024, producing an ‘S’-shaped curved construction. Later that summer season, it efficiently printed its first full pattern, adopted by a second pattern in December.
The primary printed pattern will now endure rigorous testing at ESTEC’s Supplies and Electrical Elements Laboratory to match its properties with these of comparable samples printed underneath Earth’s gravity. The second pattern is about to be analyzed by the Technical College of Denmark (DTU).
Whereas plastic 3D printers have been operational on the ISS for a while, this milestone represents the primary profitable metallic printing in microgravity. The flexibility to provide metallic elements in house is a big step towards enabling sustainable deep-space missions, lowering dependence on resupply missions, and empowering astronauts to manufacture important components, restore gear, and manufacture instruments as wanted.
Associated Hyperlinks
Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory at ESTEC
Space Technology News – Applications and Research
