ESA reports its first completed metal part printed in orbit
The space-station experiment moved from commissioning lines to a complete metal test shape.
What happened
ESA announced in September 2024 that its metal 3D printer aboard the International Space Station had completed a first metal shape in August. The technology demonstrator was developed with Airbus and installed in the Columbus laboratory.
The completed shape followed earlier commissioning work. ESA planned to return it and three further specimens to Earth for analysis, distributing samples among its technical and astronaut centers and the Technical University of Denmark.
The experiment investigated manufacturing in orbit rather than supplying certified replacement flight hardware. Comparing space-made specimens with ground references was a necessary step toward understanding the process.
Read the sources
Primary-source reporting; this is not a hands-on review. Sources checked Oct 24, 2026.