Most 3D printers use some kind of filament or resin to create small objects used in maker projects, replacement parts, or efforts to learn what a 3,000-year-old mummy sounded like. NASA reportedly wants to ditch those materials in favor of something else: moon rocks.
Universe Today reported that the agency sent a 3D printer to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Redwire Regolith Print (RRP) project meant to determine if extraterrestrial materials can enable "the on-demand construction of strong, durable structures," as NASA put it.
The space agency said that RRP was designed specifically to enable the use of regolith—dust, broken rocks, and other materials found on the surface of extraterrestrial objects—with the Made In Space Manufacturing Device (ManD) 3D printer that was already onboard the ISS.
"The primary objective of performing the print operations is to successfully demonstrate the manufacturing process capability in microgravity," NASA said. "The secondary objective of the print operations is to produce material samples for scientific analysis."
The viability of regolith-based 3D printing in microgravity could directly affect future missions to the moon and Mars. Even if there are problems with 3D printing in microgravity, however, the agency said that using regolith as a 3D printing material could have benefits right here on Earth.
"Such technology could eventually be used to construct habitats, landing pads, and other structures for future exploration missions using on-site materials," NASA said, "rather than having to bring along all the raw materials for such construction."
That covers the space aspect. As for terrestrial life, the agency said being able to use on-site materials could assist the "development of infrastructure to improve quality of life in remote and undeveloped areas and on-site emergency construction during natural disaster response."
Universe Today said NASA will take the RRP project one step at a time. The first step is figuring out if regolith is viable for 3D printing; then the agency would subject the resulting objects to many tests to determine if they meet American Society for Testing and Materials standards.