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Picture this.

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You're living aboard

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the International Space Station

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and need a special tool.

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The only problem is your next supply

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vehicle won't deliver this tool

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for a couple of months.

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What do you do?

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Stick with me

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for a few minutes to find out.

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Hi, I'm Sonny Williams.

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And today we're talking about 3D

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printing in space. Let's jump right in.

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Keeping a large quantity

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of every possible item we may need aboard

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the station is challenging.

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Space is limited here,

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and launching

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cargo is expensive,

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costing thousands of dollars

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per kilogram.

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This is a challenge that will continue

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with NASA

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as it expands its presence

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beyond low earth orbit.

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To help solve this issue.

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NASA's experimenting

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with additive manufacturing

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or 3D printing aboard

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the International Space Station.

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This manufacturing technique uses

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a supply of one material

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to gradually build an item

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by slowly laying down thin layers

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on top of each other

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to build a three dimensional shape.

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This allows us to keep a single supply

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of material on the station

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that can be used to create

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a variety of tools, parts

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or other items we might need.

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Long strings

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of raw material

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called filament

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are fed into a heating element

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where it's melted

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and constantly fed through a small nozzle

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called an extruder,

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while it moves around,

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drawing the shape of an item

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being printed.

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After a layer is completed,

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the extruder lifts slightly

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and prints

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the next layer directly

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on top of the previous layer

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until the product is complete.

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The design for each part is created down

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on earth using 3D design software.

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The designs are sent to us here

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on station as electronic files to program

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the exact movement of the extruder

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to make precise shapes.

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Our 3D printer uses clay plastic

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or polylactic acid,

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which is infused with copper oxide,

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which has anti-microbial properties

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to help keep our station

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environment safe.

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Here in the microgravity

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environment of space, warm

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air does not rise through convection

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like it does on Earth.

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The heat

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generated from the printer

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would cause a pocket of warm air

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which could continue

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to get hotter and hotter

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if we didn't circulate the air.

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With fans,

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the fans also help to dissipate

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noxious fumes

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that could concentrate

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around the printer, if not blown away.

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Some items

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we print are sent back to Earth

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to be inspected

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for strength,

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layer adhesion and print quality.

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This will guide improvements

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for future generations of 3D

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printers used in space.

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Nessa is also looking into using

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3D printers on a much bigger scale.

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Studies and experiments

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are being performed

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to create 3D printed habitats

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that can be used in the future

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on the surface of the Moon or Mars.

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The goal is to use resources

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such as rocks, soil, water

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already found at these locations

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to make a type of concrete

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that can be used to print

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entire structures

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for long term habitation.

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The Crew Health and Performance

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Exploration Analog

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is a series of missions

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which participants are secluded

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for an entire year

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in a 3D

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printed habitat known as Mars Dune Alpha.

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These analog astronauts

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perform science experiments

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in simulated spacewalks

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to help test the suitability

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of such structures for

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long term habitation.

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I am so glad you can

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join me

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to learn about 3D printing in space

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and how it helps making space exploration

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more sustainable.

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Can you think of any more ideas

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of how to use 3D printing in space?

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How about some challenges

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the environment of space

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may pose on 3D printing.

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Discuss these ideas with your classmates

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before doing the activity.

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We hope you'll join us again

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for our next demonstration. See you soon.