How 3D printing could save the lives of astronauts in space
When you sign on to be an astronaut, you put a lot on the line. Coupled with chance of disaster before even leaving the planet, you run a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease from weightlessness and space radiation — just one of the many factors you probably didn’t think about when you were a kid, daydreaming about stepping onto the moon.
With a trip to Mars alone lasting a little over three years, astronauts must take medical emergencies in their own hands to solve problems when their ship is millions of miles from earth. Experts are suggesting that 3D printing may provide a way for crew members to create the tools they need to save the lives of fellow astronauts.
The idea of medical equipment in space was put forth into the conversation by a panel of experts from the upcoming Euroanaesthesia congress in Geneva by several doctors in the field who worry about the safety of astronauts who suddenly become ill.
In a recent Telegraph article, Professor Jochen Hinkelbein — President of the German Society for Aerospace Medicine — specifically mentioned Mars when talking about the type of long-term missions requiring the added layer of safety of a 3D printer.
“Since astronauts are selected carefully, are usually young, and are intensively observed before and during their training, relevant medical problems are, fortunately, rare in space,” Hinkelbein told the Telegraph. “However, in the context of future long-term missions, for example to Mars, with durations of several years, the risk for severe medical problems is significantly higher. Therefore, there is also a substantial risk for a cardiac arrest in space requiring CPR.”
In terms of strides made by NASA, the first wave of tests has already happened. Niki Werkheiser, the space station 3D printer program manager at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, recently spearheaded a project in which a 3D ratchet was printed on The International Space Station.
"In less than a week, the ratchet was designed, approved by safety and other NASA reviewers, and the file was sent to space where the printer made the wrench in four hours,” Werkheiser said in a story on the NASA website.
The ratchet was nothing particularly groundbreaking, as it was only one of 1,600 3D printing experiments conducted on the ISS — but that doesn’t make it any less exciting.
"If you can transmit a file to the station as quickly as you can send an email, it opens up endless possibilities for all the types of things that you can make,” said Werkheiser. “We even may be able to make objects that previously couldn't even be launched to space."
With the optimism of 3D printing and the possibilities of having any type of medical accessory on hand with the push of a button, a major weight may soon be lifted off of astronaut’s backs — especially those interested in heading to Mars.
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Topics 3D Printing
