Satellite antennas can be 3D-printed in space using a new patented technique that promises to do away with clunky satellite parts that take up too much space in a rocket.
The new method, developed by Japanese technology company Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, uses a special type of resin that turns into a rigid solid material when exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun that is present in space.
The company has only shown how the technology works in a test chamber. The antenna dish printed by the researchers was just as wide as a conventional satellite antenna.
The startup says in-space manufacturing could help fight climate change.
The bigger the antenna, the better it can detect and transmit the signal. A large antenna takes up a lot of space in a rocket fairing, which is a problem when launching to orbit. The antennas are heavy because they need to be sturdy to survive the launch. The heavier the satellite, the more expensive it is to launch.
The components that are 3D-printed in space can be lighter and thinner.
Operators would save money, as their satellites would be lighter, and they would also be able to fit larger satellites with larger antennas than they can today.
The company said in an email that the technology paves the way for the printing of large structures in space, which wouldn't fit in a rocket's fairing.
It can survive in temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit ( 400 degrees Celsius), which is higher than what satellites experience in space.
Spacecraft antenna designs are challenging due to their conflicting requirements for high gain, wide bandwidth and low weight.
The company said that its resin is the first that can be used in a vacuum, as it doesn't require atmospheric oxygen to prevent it from turning solid too quickly. The power consumption of the 3D printer is reduced by using natural ultraviolet light.
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