China completes in-orbit metal 3D printing test on prototype spacecraft

(ECNS) -- China has completed a test of metal 3D printing in orbit aboard its Qingzhou prototype spacecraft, marking progress in space-based manufacturing, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said Monday.

The experiment was conducted by the Institute of Mechanics and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites under the academy.

Researchers remotely activated the printing system from the ground, and the payload completed the test as planned, meeting its objectives, according to the academy.

Metal 3D printing in space is considered a key technology for future missions, potentially allowing astronauts to manufacture and repair components in orbit rather than relying on supplies from Earth.

The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft, developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the CAS, was launched into orbit on March 30 aboard a Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket. It has a total mass of 4.2 metric tons, carries one ton of scientific payloads, and has a three-year in-orbit operational life.

(By Zhang Dongfang)