Raphael ThysPicture: Virgin Galactic
A UC Berkeley team, led by graduate student Taylor Waddell, sent their 3D printing technology into space for the first time on June 8 as part of the Virgin Galactic 07 mission.
The advanced microgravity printer, called SpaceCAL, spent 140 seconds in suborbital space aboard the VSS Unity spacecraft, autonomously printing four test parts, including small spaceships and benchy figures made of liquid plastic (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.”
The mission was funded by NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program and the support of Berkeley Engineering and the Berkeley Space Center. In the future, this technology could be used to produce everything from spare parts and tools for spacecraft to new contact lenses and dental crowns for astronauts.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has evolved significantly since it was first patented in the 1980s. Hayden Taylor, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, led a team of researchers at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who invented Computed Axial Lithography (CAL) technology in 2017. This new type of additive manufacturing uses light to form solid objects from a viscous liquid, enabling faster and more versatile production of 3D parts.
CAL technology, which can create parts in just 20 seconds, has proven to be particularly effective in microgravity. Waddell emphasizes the importance of this technology for space missions, as it reduces the need to carry a large number of spare parts.
The versatility of CAL technology is also demonstrated by the use of over 60 different materials on Earth, including silicones, glass composites and biomaterials. This feature could be of great benefit both for the maintenance of the spacecraft and for the medical care of the crew.
The versatility of CAL technology is also demonstrated by the use of over 60 different materials on Earth, including silicones, glass composites and biomaterials. This property could be of great benefit both for the maintenance of the spacecraft and for the medical care of 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.”
The long-term goal of Waddell and his colleagues is to work with NASA to develop an object that supports the health and well-being of the crew, such as a dental crown for an astronaut or a surgical wound closure tool.
“Imagine a place where private companies can take inventions like those created by Taylor Waddell and make it possible for these important discoveries to break out of the lab and into the public realm,” said Darek DeFreece, a regent emeritus of the University of California and the head of UC Berkeley’s efforts to develop the Berkeley Space Center. “We were cheering as we watched the historic Virgin Galactic 07 flight.”