National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as Containerpreparing its astronauts for It can print human bones in spaceWith the goal of developing 3D printing capability on the International Space Station (ISS).
As indicated in the report published on the website of Urban TechnoAnd the This initiative will allow the printing of bones compatible with human characteristics. The main objective of this project is Articular cartilage proliferation in the knee.
This pilot program, supported by NASA, Redwire and the Unified Services University for Biotechnology Health Sciences Center (4DBio3), hopes to extend its usefulness to creating additional bone.
For the mission, the mentioned organizations sent on November 6 New 3D printer for the International Space Station. The device has been called Redwire Biofabrication Facilitywhich will imprint the meniscus that will be studied later on the floor.
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Ideally, this would cure the meniscus injuries that American soldiers often encounter.
In addition, Redwire It hopes to 3D print entire organs in space, although this is listed as a “long-term” goal.
The printer flies to the International Space Station aboard a supply rocket From NASA’s Wallops Spaceport. The expedition will carry three additional payloads.
This isn’t NASA’s first 3D space printer. Last year, the agency brought a Redwire printer to the International Space Station to show printing lunar soil, a technology that could one day help colonists on the Moon build habitats without bringing in too many supplies from Earth.
The biological printer is more practical immediately. If the research proves successful, doctors can replace damaged body parts without resorting to donations or inorganic transplants.