China has completed a metal 3D printing test in orbit aboard its Qingzhou prototype spacecraft, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said Monday, marking progress in space-based manufacturing. Researchers remotely activated the system from the ground, with the payload meeting its objectives as planned. The technology is seen as key for future missions, enabling astronauts to produce and repair parts in space.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that a metal 3D printing test aboard the Qingzhou prototype spacecraft has been successfully completed. The experiment was conducted by the Institute of Mechanics and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites under the academy.
Researchers remotely activated the printing system from the ground, and the payload operated as planned, achieving its objectives.
Metal 3D printing is viewed as a vital technology for future space missions, allowing astronauts to manufacture and repair components in orbit instead of depending on Earth supplies. The Qingzhou spacecraft, developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, was launched on March 30 aboard a Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket.
It has a total mass of 4.2 metric tons, carries one ton of scientific payloads, and has a three-year in-orbit operational life. (By Zhang Dongfang)
