3D Printing Industry asked Justin Kugler, business development engineer at Jacksonville Florida’s Made in Space about plans for the future of additive manufacturing in space.
在太空中制造的是将第一台3D打印机放在国际空间站（ISS）上最广为人知。该公司还开发了用于轨道制造的Archinaut系统。目前正在进行促进企业添加剂制造，支持微重力的材料和空间服务的工作。作为we reported earlier this week, work is progressing with news of a partnership with Axiom Space: the enterprise behind a commercial space station。
公理的三个关键领域，并在太空合作伙伴关系中建立
Justin Kugler has a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M, with a focus on flight vehicle dynamics, and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rice, with a focus on aeroastronautics and intelligent systems. Kugler has worked with NASA and also CASIS the managing NGO for the ISS National Lab. He tells me that the partnership with Axiom Space is, “仍处于早期阶段，但我们看到联合发展的三个关键领域。”
首先,我们可以立即提供服务的基础n our ISS Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) for Axiom clients. One of the really interesting things we can do with AMF is print parts for experiments in-flight. This will help Axiom’s customers develop their own space research capability, in some cases without having to build new hardware, and make changes without waiting for resupply from the ground.
Off-world manufacturing
Coming up in 2017, Made In Space will be,“flyingthe first device for manufacturing fluoride optical fiber in microgravity to the ISS later this year, as a proof-of-concept。” Kugler says, “This is a formulation that we are confident has such superior performance to terrestrially-manufactured exotic fibers that it is economically viable in today’s markets. We expect to fly an optical fiber mini-factory with Axiom’s first module in 2020, as part of the transition from applied R&D on the ISS to commercial production in Low Earth Orbit。”
Working with Axiom means, “探索如何通过使用我们的Archinaut空间制造技术来制造和组装外部结构，例如有效载荷平台和天线阵列，从而为公理商业模块增加价值。”
Made in Space will give Axiom the ability to upgrade the module without adding development risk to the core systems. As Kugler says, “这些都是基于飞行经过的集成系统。Archinaut目前正在通过NASA的临界点计划开发，我们希望在2018年向NASA提供具有集成机器人技术的原型。该版本将于今年晚些时候准备好单个可扩展结构（如Booms）。”
If you want to “co-pilot the revolution”Made In Space are now recruiting。
Also, if you want to nominate Made In Space or another enterprise using 3D printing in an innovative manner, thenfollow this link for the 1st Annual 3D Printing Industry Awards。
Featured image shows a space station from the game Elite Dangerous.
