The 2020 International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory Additive Manufacturing in Space Workshop will be an online, half-day event. The workshop will be hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), manager of the ISS National Lab. The workshop will discuss how rapid developments in additive manufacturing create new opportunities for advanced materials research and development (R&D) that could drive manufacturing innovation for applications both on Earth and in space. The workshop will identify current challenges and new opportunities for industrial-scale innovation in additive manufacturing in a persistent microgravity environment.
The workshop will feature briefings and breakout sessions led by experts from industry, government, and academia, with participation from ISS National Lab commercial partners providing 3D printing services on the ISS as well as NASA subject matter experts. Workshop participants will engage in knowledge sharing with the goal of identifying the most promising additive manufacturing pathways for R&D and in-space production that leverage microgravity.
Workshop main session topics will include the following:
* An overview of current global additive manufacturing industry and academic research trends, including applications and technology development focus for additive manufacturing materials and hardware, key challenges, standards development, economics, and investment activity
* A technical briefing from an industry leader in additive manufacturing highlighting key challenges and development direction for additive manufacturing materials and hardware, especially for space and remote applications
* A discussion of the state of play, challenges, developments, and future needs for space-based additive manufacturing
Breakout session technical topics:
* Microgravity-Specific Materials and Processes: What types of current or new additive manufacturing materials and space-based studies can advance both space- and ground-based additive manufacturing? How can the microgravity environment be harnessed to achieve new materials, microstructures, and material properties?
* In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): What are the key challenges and solutions for applying additive manufacturing to ISRU in space and in remote Earth environments?
* In-Space Production: How can scale-up of current additive manufacturing activities on the ISS be achieved, and what are the current limitations and gaps in understanding?
The fundamental question of how microgravity or the extreme space environment can intrinsically and uniquely enhance additive manufacturing will be discussed in all breakout sessions.
Anyone interested is invited to participate in the Additive Manufacturing in Space Workshop. Register now to secure your attendance.