Can 3D Printing Facilitate Space Exploration?

Since the 20th century, humans have been fascinated with exploring space and understanding what lies beyond our planet. Major organizations like NASA and ESA have been at the forefront of space exploration, including with a new significant player in this conquest: 3D printing. This design technique has become increasingly popular among companies due to its ability to produce complex parts quickly and at a low cost. It has enabled the creation of numerous applications such as satellites, spacesuits, and rocket parts. Indeed, according to SmarTech, the market value of additive manufacturing in the private space industry is expected to reach €2.1 billion by 2026. This begs the question: how can 3D printing help humans be more prominent in space?

Initially, 3D printing was mainly used for rapid prototyping in the medical, automotive, and aerospace sectors. However, with the democratization of the technology, it has become increasingly used for end-use parts. Metal additive manufacturing techniques, particularly laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), have allowed for the production of a wide variety of metals that possess properties and resistance suitable for the extreme conditions of space. Other 3D printing technologies, such as directed energy deposition (DED), binder jetting, and extrusion processes, are also used for manufacturing aerospace components. In recent years, new business models have emerged, with companies like Made in Space and Relativity Space designing aerospace parts using 3D printing technologies.

Relativity Space develops 3D printers for the aerospace industry (photo credits: Relativity Space)

3D Technologies in Aerospace

Now that we have introduced them, let us examine the various 3D printing technologies used in the aerospace industry more closely. Firstly, it should be noted that metal additive manufacturing, especially L-PBF, is the most widely used in the sector. This process involves fusing metal powders together layer by layer using a laser energy source. It is particularly useful for producing small, complex, detailed, and customized parts. Aerospace manufacturers can also benefit from DED, which involves depositing a metallic wire or powder and is primarily used for repairing, coating, or producing custom-made metallic or ceramic parts.