R3DO: A Plastic Recycling System For Creating 3D Printer Feedstock On-Orbit

An automated in-space recycling system for 3D printer feedstock will provide game-changing resupply benefits including but not limited to launch mass reduction, mission reliability increases, and decreased reliance on resupply from Earth. To bring these benefits to ISS in the near term, Made In Space proposes the further development of their unique recycling system, called R3DO, for transforming ABS plastic parts on ISS into 3D printer filament feedstock. R3DO leverages Made In Space's knowledge of the extrusion process in microgravity, which enables 3D printing in space. R3DO's patent-pending technologies designed to meet NASA ISS requirements, and include multiple unique innovations such as filament use in microgravity, the low-power heating system, microgravity stabilization, material control, breaker plate migration, material-filter interactions, cooling characteristics, and safety mechanisms. Made In Space has developed and tested four prototype iterations of R3DO in the lab, to verify that the recycler is capable of recycling 3D printed material into feedstock and that that feedstock can be used with Made In Space printers. Further, Made In Space has flown one of these prototypes on several microgravity flights to verify that it is capable of recycling ABS plastic and extruding feedstock in microgravity. Feedstock extruded in microgravity was then used to successfully print parts using Made In Space 3D printers. For Phase 1 development, Made In Space will conduct a feasibility study and create a bench-top proof of concept of the full ISS system, based on the aforementioned prototypes, with a planned Technology Readiness Level ("TRL") of 5. Phase 2 will produce an Engineering Test Unit and accumulate data at TRL 6, and Phase 3 will feature the manufacturing of a Flight Unit, integration with the ISS and commercial applications, demonstrating TRL 9.

In 2015, Made In Space is going to manufacture hardware on demand in space. The first and largest market for this service will be in supporting ISS activities. The R3DO recycler has several in-space applications that will significantly enable and improve NASA's exploration efforts, making NASA a key potential customer of this technology. R3DO will greatly impact NASA's exploration efforts in three ways: exploration missions (long-term), ISS (short-term), and space debris (short term).

Made In Space has had substantial conversations with the US Navy regarding the integration of the R3DO system into Naval operations and logistics, once it is developed. Commercially, the development of a high quality, reliable, and safe recycler will be highly useful to the commercial 3D printing market, which is growing exponentially.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.