Despite being around for several decades already, 3D printing is still considered an up-and-coming technology. It does offer a revolutionary approach to manufacturing but is still hindered by several technical or physical limitations. For this reason, 3D printing will need to be adopted by more innovative agencies before it can become mainstream.

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One of these innovative agencies is NASA. On the cusp of the next era of space exploration, NASA has been looking into the unique capabilities of 3D printing to deliver supplies and equipment to space-bound teams.

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How has NASA been using 3D printing and what does this mean for the industry? Reduces costs and increased reliability What’s the point of using 3D printing for space exploration anyway? The answer is easy when we consider how much equipment, tools, and spare parts NASA sends out for every trip. To support the International Space Station, NASA takes a “better be safe” approach and sends more tools and supplies than necessary.

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As you imagine, this is logistically more complicated and increases the cost of every space expedition. Every piece of payload that goes into these rockets cost […]

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