China has successfully conducted its first metal 3D printing experiment in space, marking a major advancement in the country\u2019s in-orbit manufacturing capabilities.<\/p>\n
The experiment was carried out using a retrievable scientific payload developed by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the CAS announced on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The payload flew aboard the Lihong-1 Y1 suborbital vehicle, a commercial recoverable spacecraft developed by CAS Space, a Chinese aerospace enterprise focused on space tourism. The spacecraft completed its inaugural test flight from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on January 12.<\/p>\n
After crossing the Karman line and reaching an altitude of approximately 120 kilometers, the payload autonomously fabricated metal components in a microgravity environment.<\/p>\n
The CAS said this achievement represents a shift of China\u2019s space-based metal additive manufacturing technology from “ground-based research” to “in-space engineering verification,” positioning it at the forefront of global technology.<\/p>\n
Conducting metal 3D printing in space is significantly more complex than on Earth. The research team overcame challenges related to stable material transport under microgravity, full-process closed-loop control, and reliable coordination between the payload and the launch vehicle.<\/p>\n
The payload capsule safely returned to Earth with a parachute-assisted landing, providing scientists with first-hand data on the melt pool dynamics, material transport, solidification behavior, geometric precision, and mechanical properties of space-printed parts.<\/p>\n
The Lihong-1 Y1, praised for its low launch cost and flexibility, will be developed for multiple reuses. Its deputy chief designer, Wang Yingcheng, said ongoing tests aim to add crew life-support and high-reliability escape systems, enhancing the spacecraft\u2019s capabilities for both suborbital scientific experiments and commercial space tourism.<\/p>\n
The onboard payload also included rose seeds for an agricultural research experiment, highlighting the versatility of the mission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
China has successfully conducted its first metal 3D printing experiment in space, marking a major advancement in the country\u2019s in-orbit manufacturing capabilities. The experiment was carried out using a retrievable scientific payload developed by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the CAS announced on Saturday. The payload flew aboard the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":71403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,17],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[213],"class_list":{"0":"post-71402","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-latest","8":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n