SpaceCAL 3D printer awaiting June 2024 launch on VSS Unity (Photo courtesy Virgin Galactic); Inset image: Taylor Waddell (Photo by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering)Manufacturing in microgravity
Imagine a crew of astronauts headed to Mars. About 140 million miles away from Earth, they discover their spacecraft has a cracked O-ring. But instead of relying on a dwindling cache of spare parts, what if they could simply fabricate any part they needed on demand?
A team of Berkeley researchers, led by mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Taylor Waddell, may have taken a giant leap toward making this option a reality. This summer, they sent their 3D printing technology to space for the first time as part of the Virgin Galactic 07 mission. Their next-generation microgravity printer — dubbed SpaceCAL — spent 140 seconds in suborbital space while aboard the VSS Unity space plane. In that short time span, it autonomously printed and post-processed a total of four test parts, including space shuttles and benchy figurines from a liquid plastic called PEGDA.
“SpaceCAL performed well under microgravity conditions in past tests aboard parabolic flights, but it still had something to prove,” said Waddell. “This latest mission, funded through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program and with support from Berkeley Engineering and the Berkeley Space Center, allowed us to validate the readiness of this 3D printing technology for space travel.”
3D printing has evolved considerably since the 1980s. In 2017, Hayden Taylor, associate professor of mechanical engineering, led a team of Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers that invented Computed Axial Lithography (CAL) technology. CAL, which uses light to shape solid objects out of a viscous liquid, expanded the range of printable geometries and functioned well in microgravity conditions, opening the door to applications related to space exploration.
CAL also stands apart from other 3D printing technologies because of its incredible speed — creating parts in as little as 20 seconds — and efficiency. By enabling astronauts to print parts on demand, CAL potentially eliminates the need to bring thousands of spare parts on long-duration space missions.
In addition, CAL’s unique ability to print well in microgravity conditions allows engineers to explore the limits of 3D printing from space. To date, CAL has shown that it can successfully print with more than 60 different materials on Earth, such as silicones, glass composites and biomaterials. According to Waddell, this versatility could come in handy for both the cabin and the crew.
“So, with the cabin, if your spacecraft is breaking down, you can print O-rings or mechanical mounts or even tools,” he said. “But CAL is also capable of repairing the crew. We can print dental replacements, skin grafts or lenses, or things personalized in emergency medicine for astronauts, which is very important in these missions, too.”
Next, Waddell and his colleagues hope to begin work with NASA on developing and validating a single object that could support crew health and wellness, like a dental crown for an astronaut or a surgical wound closure tool.
“These experiments are really focused on pushing technology for the betterment of everyone,” said Waddell. “Even though it’s for space, there are always tons of ways it can benefit people back here on Earth.”
Learn more: Berkeley researchers send 3D printer into space