NASA Taps On Optomec's Aerosol Jet Printing Technology For Space Missions

Optomec, a company based in New Mexico may soon be instrumental to NASA's space missions. More companies are also looking to the company's technologies for their operations.

Optomomec's technology may soon be aiding NASA's space projects. The company is now becoming a pioneer of a new form of 3D printing: the aerosol jet printing, as reported by KRQE News 13. 

While the technology itself is not new, this is the first time that NASA is tapping on them for this technology. The Albuquerque-based company claimed that they have been experimenting and researching the aerosol jet printing since the late 90s. 

Why is NASA suddenly interested in this technology? According to the COO of Optomec, the technology will allow NASA to carry out missions unlike any they have carried out before.  

"NASA is very interested in our aerosol jet technology because it allows them to do things that they haven't been able to do before," said Doug Welter. 

Welter added that aerosol jet technology is not the ordinary 3D printing systems out there. Aerosol jet technology makes it possible to print significantly smaller and uniquely-shaped detectors in a more efficient way. 

"With aerosol jet technology, they can print such fine features that they can construct these detectors that are much smaller and lighter than they have previously. Of course, that is important in space application," said Welter.

NASA has started experimenting with 3D printers around two years ago. NASA sent a 3D printer to the International Space Station to test how the technology works in micro-gravity.  The printer looks like a Star Trek replicator at the time and was not that sophisticated. However, NASA already saw promise with the technology because the objects it can print can be utilized for small prototypes for testing, as reported by Starts Up Smart. 

Apart from NASA, Welter revealed that local and global companies have approached them, expressing their interest in the technology. These companies are not engaged in space missions but believe this novel 3D system can help them in their operations. 

One company that is now using the technology is the Sandia Laboratory's Advanced Materials Laboratory. "Currently at Sandia [National Laboratory] aerosol jet deposition technology is used to support fundamental materials research, as well as help us print electronic circuits and devices," said Adam Cook, a scientist at this laboratory.