3D printing as a technology has only really piqued the interest of the public within the last few years. Last week, however, it got a giant boost thanks to NASA and a company called Aerojet Rockedyne. The process, also known as selective laser melting (SLM), uses super-strength lasers to liquefy and fuse metallic powders into a desired shape. Organizers at NASA have now used the technology to create and, for the first time, test a rocket engine fuel injector. This handy little piece of rocket machinery delivers liquid oxygen and hydrogen gas to an engine’s combustion chamber – in other words, its key responsibility is to introduce and then burn the fuel, creating the rocket engine’s thrust.

The introduction of 3D printing allows computer-designed objects to be turned into actual, useable, real-world parts. Not only does this new method save time, but it has drastically reduced the cost of producing the injector. NASA says that the part, which previously took a year to complete, can now be created using SLM in only four months, with a 70% reduction to the cost of manufacturing. Even better, after the injector was put through a series of hot fire trials last week, Aerojet’s programme manager Jeff Hayes stated that the part performed perfectly.

So what does this really mean for the future of space? Or even for the future of 3D printing? Considerable testing remains before the 3D-printed rocket makes its great space trek, and even longer before it will be cleared to go up on any ship with human life aboard. Even still, earthbound tests so far have left researchers and scientists feeling very hopeful. This allows NASA and its partners to move forward into the world of 3D printing with the confidence that the time and resources spent developing the technology could have a big payoff. Recently, NASA even asked researchers at Washington State University to test the possibility of 3D printing using powder from lunar rocks, and is partnering with California company Made in Space to send a 3D printer to the International Space Station next year. The possibility of being able to quickly and easily make spare parts from space opens doors to possibilities previously considered too risky for human exploration, and could herald a whole new era of space discovery.

Sources:
BBC News, NewScientist.com, Geek.com, Space.com, MSNBC