Extended missions in space require the on-site manufacture of crucial materials and equipment, rather than transporting those items from Earth.

Students at West Virginia University have been researching how 3D printing works in a weightless environment as a way to make that happen. They looked at how a microgravity environment affects 3D printing using titania foam, a material with potential applications ranging from ultraviolet (UV) light-blocking to water purification.

“Transporting even a kilogramme of material in space is expensive and storage is limited, so we’re looking into what is called ‘in situ resource utilisation’,” said associate professor Konstantinos Sierros.

The Moon contains deposits of minerals very similar to the titanium dioxide used in titania foam, which means the material could be mined there and then used to print the equipment necessary for a mission.

“A spacecraft can’t carry infinite resources, so you have to maintain and recycle...