Riddle: It's the size of a small microwave, and it may alleviate the need for NASA astronauts to wait for resupply ships to arrive at theInternational Space Stationto get some essential items.

Answer: A3-D printer-- the first ever to be flown to space. And it could change the way NASA does business aboard the space station.

The 3-D Printing In Zero-G Technology Demonstration (3-D Printing In Zero-G), led out of NASAsMarshall Space Flight Centerin Huntsville, Alabama, provided a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award toMade In Space Inc.to build the first 3-D printer for operation in microgravity. It is scheduled to launch to the station aboard the SpaceX-4 resupply mission.

The project is supported by three NASA customers: the International Space Station Technology Development Office at the agency'sJohnson Space Center in Houston; theAdvanced Exploration Systemsdivision within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington; and theGame Changing Development Programwithin the Space Technology Mission Directorate, also at NASA Headquarters.

Researchers hope to show a 3-D printer can work normally in space and produce parts equitable to those printed on the ground. It works by extruding heated plastic, which then builds layer upon layer to create three-dimensional objects. Testing this on the station is the first step toward creating a working "machine shop" in space. This capability may decrease cost and risk on the station, will be critical when space explorers venture far from Earth and will create an on-demand supply chain for needed tools and parts.

If the printer is successful, it will not only serve as the first demonstration of additive manufacturing in microgravity, but it also will bring NASA and Made In Space a big step closer to evolving in-space manufacturing for future missions to destinations such as an asteroid and Mars.

Long-term missions would benefit greatly from onboard manufacturing capabilities. Data and experience gathered in this demonstration will improve future 3-D manufacturing technology and equipment for the space program, allowing a greater degree of autonomy and flexibility for astronauts.

"I remember when the tip broke off a tool during a mission," recallsNASA astronaut TJ Creamer, who flew aboard the space station during Expedition 22/23 from December 2009 to June 2010. "I had to wait for the next shuttle to come up to bring me a new one. Now, rather than wait for a resupply ship to bring me a new tool, in the future, I could just print it."

So, if something breaks, like a wrench for instance, how long will it take to print one? It depends on the size and complexity of the part. Depending on these factors, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to print a part on the station. The computer-aided design model, which serves as the instructions, can be pre-loaded on the printer or uplinked from the ground to the station printer. It requires minimal crew time as it can be operated primarily from ground control at Marshall's Operations Support Center.

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3-D Printer Could Turn Space Station into 'Machine Shop'