First 3-D printing in space spearheaded at MSFC

Published: Nov. 25, 2014 at 9:37 PM CST|Updated: Dec. 23, 2014 at 9:37 PM CST
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The first object printed with a 3-D device aboard the ISS was made Monday. (Source: NASA)
The first object printed with a 3-D device aboard the ISS was made Monday. (Source: NASA)
MSFC's Niki Werkheiser is project manager for the 3-D printing system. (Source: NASA)
MSFC's Niki Werkheiser is project manager for the 3-D printing system. (Source: NASA)

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - A historic space accomplishment was led by a Marshall Space Flight Center project manager.

Niki Werkheiser was leader of the project; a 3-D printer for the International Space Station, which made its first successful print in microgravity on Monday.

"This first print is the initial step toward providing an on-demand machine shop capability away from earth," Werkheiser said. "The space station is the only laboratory where we can fully test this technology in space."

The printer was installed aboard the ISS Nov.17, ahead of its first print request, which was made Monday and inspected on Tuesday.

3-D printing uses a process formally known as "additive manufacturing" to heat a low-temperature plastic filament and extrude or "print" it one layer at a time to achieve the desired object.

The test object printed aboard the ISS was a small placard which reads "Made in Space" above the NASA logo.

More test objects will be printed, then brought back to Earth in 2015 for analysis and comparison to ground control samples made by the printer.

The ultimate goal of the project is to verify that the 3-D printing process works the same in microgravity as it does on Earth.

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