ISS National Laboratory Additive Manufacturing in Space 2020 Workshop Summary
We are pleased to share with you a summary of discussion points from the 2020 International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory Additive Manufacturing in Space Workshop. The workshop was a virtual event held on July 28, 2020, organized and sponsored by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), manager of the ISS National Lab.
The workshop objectives were to determine pathways for additive manufacturing in microgravity to potentially produce materials with enhanced properties and to determine how additive manufacturing on the ISS can advance terrestrial manufacturing, in-space industrial production, and in-situ resource utilization.
In an opening main session, additive manufacturing and microgravity research experts from industry, academia, and government, as well as current operators of ISS additive manufacturing facilities, presented their views on current trends, research, and challenges. After these presentations, three breakout sessions focused on the specific areas of additive manufacturing in space noted in the objectives: Microgravity-Specific Materials and Processes, In-Situ Resource Utilization, and In-Space Production.
I invite you to review and share the workshop summary (accessed through the link below), which summarizes key points and discussions from the main presentations and each breakout session, including the outlining of several potential areas for near- and long-term additive manufacturing investigations on the ISS. Additionally, you can access the workshop recording and presentations online.
Thank you,
Etop Esen, Ph.D.
CASIS Commercial Innovation Manager
