The first 3-D printer for astronauts has been rocketed to the International Space Station as part of a routine delivery of essential supplies.
The Dragon Spaceship was launched by SpaceX on Sunday morning from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Dragon capsule is expected to arrive in orbit on Tuesday.
This spaceship will reportedly be supplying the NASA space station with about 5,000 pounds of supplies including food and different technological equipments.
Reports indicate that a customized 3-D printer is part of the new devices being transported to the international space station. The specially built device, which can operate at zero gravity, will be the first multipurpose manufacturing technology to leave the earth.
The 3-D printer's space mission is part of a demonstration to prove that astronauts can use the device to build much needed replacements - a more cost effective approach than launching supplies from earth.
"Everything that has ever been built for space has been built on the ground. Tremendous amounts of money and time have been spent to place even the simplest of items in space to aid exploration and development," says Aaron Kemmer, CEO of Made In Space.
The CEO of the California based firm also expressed confidence about the revolutionary abilities of the new modified 3-D printer in facilitating space missions.
He said "This new capability will fundamentally change how the supply and development of space missions is looked at."
NASA is looking to be more efficient and cost effective by using the new space grade 3-D printer, which can instantly build tools in large amounts. NASA says the parts built in space will be sent to earth to undergo testing.
Many experts have welcomed the innovative approach, but say the next frontier will really be for tools to be manufactured using material from space.
