For the first time ever , hardware design on the ground has been e-mail to space to fulfill the motivation of an astronaut . From a information processing system in California , Mike Chen ofMade In Spaceand colleagues just 3D - printed a ratchet socket wrench on the International Space Station . “ We had overheardISS Commander Barry Wilmore(who goes by “ Butch ” ) mention over the wireless that he call for one,”Chen writes in Mediumthis week . So they designed one and sent it up .
“ The socket rick we just cook up is the first object we designed on the ground and send digitally to space , on the fly,”he adds . It ’s a hatful faster to send datum wirelessly on demand than to wait for a physical target to go far via rockets , which can take months or even years .
The team started by designing the tool on a computer , then convert it into a 3D - printer - quick data format . That ’s then sent to NASA , which transmits the spanner to the infinite station . Once the code is received by the 3D printer , the wrench is manufactured : formative filament is heated and extruded layer by layer . The ISStweeted this photoearlier this week , and you’re able to see more pictures of the very cool spanner - printing processhere .
Located on the campus of NASA ’s Ames Research Center , Made In Space built the first 3D printer for microgravity , and it was launch to the ISS in September . Within a month , the astronauts 3D - printed their first object : a replacement faceplate for the printer ’s case ( picture below ) .
“ We prefer this part to print first because , after all , if we are run to have 3 - D pressman make spare and replacement parts for critical items in space , we have to be able to make spare parts for the printers,”NASA ’s Niki Werkheisersaid in anews release back in November . “ If a printer is decisive for explorers , it must be equal to of replicating its own voice , so that it can keep work during longer journeys to places like Mars or an asteroid . Ultimately , one day , a printing machine may even be capable to impress another pressman . ”
Since then , another 20 objects have also printed – though these were designed before the pressman left Earth and the files were delivered on a payload supplying flight . These first print will be bring back down in 2015 for examination . Researchers will be liken them to monovular objective manufactured on the ground to study the effects of microgravity on the 3-D - printing process .
Images : NASAhereandhere
