Historically, the only way to get anything into orbit has been by rocket; a process that is massively expensive, cumbersome, and presents a slew of constraints. So, when Made In Space created the first zero-gravity 3D printer, it was understandably a big deal. For the first time, astronauts wouldn’t have to wait for the next launch from Earth for everything they needed—instead, they could take electronic delivery of a computer file and make tools, like this 3D printed ratchet. The company plans to send up a full-time, working successor to their prototype this year, but their small-scale printer is a stepping-stone to... read more Fonte: Singularity HUB
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