3D-printed metal: unlocking crew autonomy
When it comes to the future of human exploration, 3D printing may hold the key to crew autonomy in areas ranging from maintenance to medicine. On long-duration missions far from Earth, where carrying large numbers of spare parts is impractical and resupply may be impossible, onboard manufacturing offers a promising solution.
ESA's Metal 3D Printer Technology Demonstrator, the first metal 3D printer in orbit, was launched to the International Space Station in 2024. The printer has now produced its fifth sample, which was recently retrieved by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot during the εpsilon mission.
Since the beginning of 2026, six cargo missions have left the International Space Station after delivering supplies. At just 400 km above Earth, the Station remains within easy reach for regular resupply, but as astronauts venture farther away from our home planet, the ability to produce plastic or metal replacement parts, tools, or even biological materials becomes essential.
The experience gained with the metal 3D printer will improve the quality of the printing process and help better understand the potential of on-orbit metal printing and develop solutions suitable for both crew members and ground operators.
“3D printers are far from being simple gadgets and I’m delighted to have worked on this European technology demonstration for the future of human spaceflight. Congratulations to everyone involved and thank you to the CADMOS User Support Centre teams who guided me throughout the process!” says ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.
Three printed samples have already made their way back to Earth for analysis at ESTEC, ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands, and the Danish Technical University, DTU. The quality and material characteristics of the samples, on the macro and micro scale, were analysed and compared against reference prints manufactured on the ground using the same printer. The results of the analysis will be published in the coming weeks.
Each print challenges a different aspect of the 3D-printing capability and performance, putting the technology through its paces and helping ESA to turn this technology demonstration into a reliable and trusted on-orbit manufacturing process.
“With a better understanding of the printer’s capabilities, limitations and operations — both in orbit and on the ground — as well as the quality of parts produced in a crewed space environment, ESA is now well-positioned to take the next step towards in-orbit metal 3D-printing ” explains ESA technical officer Rob Postema.
Sophie was tasked with retrieving a fifth sample from the printer and preparing it for the next printing activity, scheduled for later this year. This time, she installed a substrate, or baseplate, on which an element had already been partially printed. The printing process had been stopped following an anomaly, but the teams are eager to test a recovery procedure and resume printing the sample.
The print she retrieved was sent back to Earth on board the CRS SpX-34 spacecraft and will be thoroughly tested at both the German Aerospace Center, DLR, and ESTEC.
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The Metal 3D Printer technology demonstrator was developed by an industrial team led by Airbus Defence and Space under a contract with the European Space Agency, with co-funding from Airbus Defence and Space. The Metal 3D Printer is operated by the CADMOS User Support and Operations Centre of the French Space Agency CNES, with support from teams at ESA and Airbus.
