For over two decades, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have relied almost entirely on materials shipped from Earth for scientific research and daily life — an exception is water, which is recycled from wastewater on the station.
The commercial space industry is growing and there’s a global demand for long-term missions. ISSScientists are developing ways to produce supplies outside of Earth, 250 miles above the ground. The results could reduce the cost of interplanetary flights to the moon. Mars Some advocates believe that it could go even beyond.
In a recent update on the topic, scientists are studying how 3D printing — a popular technique of building objects by wringing out chosen materials like molten plastic, glass or metal — works in microgravity. Because 3D printing It is done by spitting out the material layer by layer, and letting it harden into the desired design. Gravity The mechanism is important.
Related: Watch NASA test the 3D-printed rocket nose designed for deep space.
Scientists believe that the project could one day help astronauts to build a variety of resources on demand, including space station components, nanosatellites and full-scale satellites. Satellites You can also find out more about us on our website. Asteroid mining material. It may also be possible in the future to 3D-print habitats on other planets and the moon, which would reduce the number of cargo resupply flights.
Jacob Cordonier from West Virginia University is the lead study author. He said, “A spacecraft cannot carry unlimited resources. You have to maintain and recycling what you have. 3D printing makes that possible.” “You only need to print what you require, which reduces waste.”
On Earth, 3D printing can be used to create all kinds of objects, such as camera lenses, guitars and cell phone cases. It can even design full-scale implants or prosthetic body pieces. In space, though, even slight movements can wreak havoc on intricate designs — and gravity dictates those movements. It is still not clear how different materials behave in space than on Earth when they are squeezed out of a 3D printer.
The new study reveals the answer. Cordonier, his team, and their experiment found that the titanium dioxide material, which was used to create 3D objects, behaved differently under microgravity as compared to Earth gravity. The researchers recorded these differences. Researchers say that this information will be helpful in understanding how different parameters, such as building speed and pressure on the printer, interact in microgravity.
Titanium was chosen for several reasons. First off, it’s lightweight and more resistant to corrosion as compared to stainless steel, meaning it’s a cost-effective choice for 3D-building objects in space. Second, the moon has minerals such as titanium. Future lunar explorers may be able mine this material directly from the ground.
The statement said that “we know the moon has deposits of minerals similar to the titanium oxide used in our foam.” Konstantinos Sierros was the co-author and professor in West Virginia University’s mechanical department. “So, the idea is that you don’t need to transport equipment to space from here because we can mine these resources on The moon “Print the necessary equipment for your mission.”
Previous research has confirmed that regions on the moon are abundant in titanium ore, and few lunar rocks even sported Ten times more The amount of precious minerals in Earth’s rocks is much less than the amount found in the mineral. Lastely, the material is known to block out almost all ultraviolet (UV) light emanating from The sunNew research shows.
On Earth, the protective layer of our planet’s atmosphere blocks a considerable amount of UV radiation. Cordonier explained that “in space or the moon, you can’t mitigate this unless your spacesuit is coated or your spacecraft has a protective coating.”
All kinds of equipment for astronauts made from titanium dioxide would be a good shield against UV light. It appears that titanium dioxide can also use light to stimulate useful chemical reactions, such as purifying water or air.
The team previously 3D-printed a parabolic aircraft completed with a Boeing 727. When the peak of the pathway led to 20 seconds Weightlessness. Next, they envision sending the printer on 6-month trip to the ISS to monitor the printing process in detail.
The research described here is a Paper The journal ACS Publications published the article last month.