3D Printing Satellite Technology, This is not a Dream or Science Fiction

According to foreign media reports, a group of machine spiders in space orbit spacecraft or 3D printing satellite, this is not a dream or science fiction, but may soon become a reality. The US cable unlimited company, supported by NASA, recently reached a cooperation agreement with the US commercial satellite company Lara space systems, and the two sides will work together on the development of machine spiders. This strange machine spider will be able to use 3D printing technology to directly manufacture parts of space systems in space.

Once the SpiderFab project is successful, there will be a large number of machine spiders busy in space. They can print various giant space system structures and assemble them effectively through 3D printing equipment.

This approach will help us to create extremely large space systems, such as solar arrays and soccer field sized antennas larger than ten times or even hundreds of times larger than today.

The R & D program is called the "SpiderFab" program. According to experts, the first plan to launch a machine to orbit, to test whether it can print parts and assembly of the whole structure, these components include solar panels, antennas, sensors and spacecraft or satellite and other parts etc.. The ultimate goal of the project, however, is more sci-fi. If the research and development is successful, there will be a large number of machine spiders busy in space. They can print huge structures and assemble them effectively through 3D printing equipment. By then, satellites, spacecraft and other equipment will be made directly in space, which will help humans build larger spacecraft or satellites to orbit the earth.

The brains of this "smart spider" are made by the cable unlimited company in Washington, U. S. a.. Cable no limit company and the United States commercial satellite company Lara space systems signed a cooperation agreement, the two sides will be committed to the development of space 3D printing machine spider research and development. Firmamentum, a subsidiary of cable no limit, will test its "Trusselator" technology in the dragonfly program of Lara space systems. The dragonfly project will test the construction of communications satellites on orbit, while the Trusselator technology mainly produces lightweight frame trusses to support solar panels, antennas and sensors.

The Trusselator technology will create high-performance support structures through 3D printing technology and automated assembly technology.

"The dragonfly project provides us with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate space manufacturing technology," said Dr. rob Hoyt, CEO of Firmamentum." Lara space systems CTO Mateo - Dr. Jana said, "the development of next generation communication satellite and space systems will rely mainly on manufacturing technology progress." It is not clear when the trials will be conducted.

The existing satellite to enter the orbit of the earth, when they are in the process through the earth's atmosphere, you must be folded and hidden in the protective cover, to prevent overheating and burned or destroyed by resistance. While making satellite components in space, you only need to compress the machine spiders and raw materials into the rocket and send them into space. As early as 2013, Hoyt had introduced such space manufacturing technology. "The raw materials needed to make these important components in orbit, such as fibers and polymers, can be compressed into a very tight form and packaged into a smaller, cheaper launch medium.". On track, the machine spider manufacturing system will process the raw materials and make a huge structure. This approach will help us to produce antennas or solar arrays that are ten times or even hundreds of times larger than now. These devices will be able to provide greater energy, greater bandwidth, higher resolution, and higher sensitivity for a wider range of space missions."