14 DAY TRIAL // The International Space Station is the most advanced science laboratory out there and maybe the largest project undertaken by humanity. The biggest space agencies in the world have put their best people on building and operating the station.
But that doesn't mean things can't and won't go wrong. And, if they do, even with all the technology and instant communications, the astronauts on board are on their own.
Like the recent trouble with a space suit (which started leaking water during a spacewalk) showed, there's plenty of danger even on "routine" missions.
That said, the astronauts aboard the ISS are some of the best trained engineers on our planet so, if there's anyone who can solve a problem, it's them. Most of the time though, it's not solutions that are lacking, but tools and materials.
The ISS carries spares for just about everything, but not all situations can be foreseen. Made in Space 3D printer is designed for those situations.
The startup has been working on a 3D printer that works in space, after being contacted by NASA for such a project. They now have a working product which is on its way to the ISS, as soon as its ready.
The printer works in microgravity and, once aboard the ISS, it will completely change the way things are done on the station.
For one, it will make it possible to keep much fewer spares on board for things that could be easily duplicated by the printer. That's a surprising amount of components that could actually be printed in space.
"There's literally billions of dollars of spare parts that have to be on the station because they never know what they'll need," Jason Dunn, Made in Space CTO, said. "There's times when a tool is needed and the tool didn't exist."