Plasma Jet Printing for In Space Manufacturing

The Plasma Jet Printing for In-Space Manufacturing experiment will test plasma jet printing in a reduced and microgravity environment. Plasma jet printing is a low-cost, versatile, and high-throughput method for printing conductive traces and metal electrodes on non-conventional substrates including flexible materials and nonconformal three-dimensional objects. This test is part of NASA SBIR-funded work to adopt and test the plasma jet printing method for use in space as part of NASA’s On-Demand Manufacturing of Electronics (ODME) project.

Summary of Flight Testing
June 28, 2022: Space Foundry has successfully demonstrated plasma jet printing of conducting copper patterns using a proprietary, environmental friendly, aqueous-based ink that can be used for long-term operation in low earth orbit and also on lunar surface. Copper and silver printing has been successfully demonstrated in both lunar and zero g using Space Foundry’s plasma jet printing.

November 17 and December 15, 2021: The Space Foundry team demonstrated plasma jet printing of silver interdigitated electrodes (IDE) and antenna in microgravity using the Zero G parabolic flight. Controlling the fluid flow and printing using the electromagnetic field and plasma jet, both of which are gravity independent, enables opportunities for printed electronics manufacturing in space. Interdigitated electrodes are widely used in a wide variety of sensors including gas and bio sensors. Printing of antenna pattern will enable a wide variety of applications including communication, inventory control, energy harvesting etc., Plasma jet printing technology was originally developed at NASA Ames Research Center and commercialized by Space Foundry for both terrestrial and space applications. NASA awarded Space Foundry with an SBIR Phase 1 in summer 2018 and since then Space Foundry has received multiple contracts including NASA SBIR Phase II, IIE and III.

Eliminating post processing and reducing dependency on ink is expected to enable the on-demand fabrication of a wide range of devices, particularly electronics. The Plasma Jet Printing for In-Space Manufacturing experiment will test plasma jet printing inmicrogravity.The technology could support long-duration crewed missions and accelerate low-Earth orbit commercialization. This has the potential to benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, and other government agencies.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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