3D Printers; This Time in Service of Spacecraft Manufacturing

More than 100 parts of the Orion spacecraft will be manufactured for NASA using 3D printers. Experts say that the technology used will ultimately pave the way for sending humans to Mars. Stratys announced on Tuesday that Lockheed Martin, a contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense, Stratys, a 3D printing specialist, and the engineering company P.A.D.T. have created these parts using new materials capable of withstanding very high temperatures and chemical interactions during space missions. According to Reuters, Scott Susick, one of the vice presidents of Stratys, stated, 'For example, in space, materials generate static electricity; if this causes a shock to the spacecraft's electronic components, it can cause significant damage to them.' 3D printing, which has recently gained momentum, can help create lighter parts made of plastic more quickly and cheaply compared to traditional assembly lines, which mainly require significant investments in equipment. Scott Susick told Reuters, 'More importantly, we have more freedom in design, and the parts appear much more institutional and organized.' Lockheed Martin, a partner of Stratys, says that the use of 3D printing in the Orion project will also be beneficial in other business sectors. Brian Kaplan, one of the managers at Lockheed Martin, stated, 'We are looking to leverage the benefits in our programs, including missile defense, satellites, and planetary explorers, as we are producing more and more every day.' Orion is part of NASA's supplemental program related to the retired shuttle fleet, allowing astronauts to fly beyond the International Space Station, approximately 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Earth. The European Space Agency suggests that lunar rocks and Martian sands could potentially be used in the structure and tools of 3D printing. This could significantly reduce the costs of future space missions as it would require fewer materials to be transported from Earth.