© предоставлено пресс-службой ТПУ
TOMSK, Dec 8 – RIA
Tomsk, Karina Sapunova. Tests of the 3D-printer, developed with the assistance
of scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), were included into the
program of work of the International Space Station (ISS); they will take place
at the end of 2018, the press service of the higher education institution
reported on Thursday.
Earlier it was reported that TPU scientists and
Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of Siberian Branch of
Russian Academy of Sciences create 3D-printer for operation on spaceships and
in outer space. It is supposed that the experimental instrument shall be
delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2018. It prints polymers
now, but it is planned to use also other materials including reinforced in the
future.
"The coordinating scientific and technical
council of Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) on programs of scientific and
applied researches and experiments on piloted space complexes approved the
request of TPU and ISPMS SB RAS and made the decision on introduction of the
space experiment "3D-printing" in the Long-term program of scientific
applied researches and experiments", – it is said in the message.
It is specified that tests of the 3D-printer in the
conditions of imponderability are planned on the Russian segment of the ISS at
the end of 2018. The printer will allow Russian astronauts to print the details
necessary for operation with the equipment of the space station. Now the
printer prototype is finished, however it requires improvements.
"Use of 3D-printing on the ISS imposes specific
requirements. For example, the printer shall be of the closed cycle that the
gases, which are emitted during printing, didn't get to the atmosphere of the
station. Besides, gravitation makes an essential contribution to forming of a
detail on Earth during printing", – the head of strategic academic unit
"Space materials science" Evgeny Kolubayev of TPU is quoted.
It is added that absence of gravitation requires
special construction of the printer and technology of its operation. Scientists
should resolve all these issues during preparation of a flight sample of the
printer and carrying out an experiment on the ISS.