Watch The First 3D-Printed Satellite Launcher Work On The Space Station [VIDEO] – The Daily Caller

The engineering company Mouser Electronicspublished video of a satellite launcher being 3-D printed on the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday.

EngineerAndy Filo designeda device to help astronauts launch tiny satellites weighing less than 100 grams in zero gravity. Scientists can use these satellites tomonitor disasters, cosmic rays and solar coronal events.

WATCH:

Filo developed the device as part of a design challenge to develop useful technology for astronauts.

Mouser brought together engineers, students and makers from around the world in this exciting design challenge. All the designs were excellent, but in the end there was one design that stood above the rest, Glenn Smith, President and CEO of Mouser Electronics, said in a statement. The heart of this challenge was innovation, and Andys femtosatellite-launching device embodies forward-thinking design.

Mouser chose Filos femtosatellite project from 242 entries, and then digitally-transmitted it to the ISS. The worldsfirst off-world commercial manufacturingprinter 3-D printed the design in April.

The ISS 3-D printer manufactured its first objects in space in November 2014. It works by building layers of heated plastic to create objects, effectively making a working machine shop capable of building virtually any tool in space. Engineers on the ground can transmitdesign files for any tool to the printer.

This capability decreases the cost and difficulty of sending tools to the ISS. It can take months or even years to ship specialty tools to the space stationdepending on the launch resupply schedule. Future deep space exploration missions will almost certainly carry similar printers as resupplying tools from Earth may be impossible.

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Watch The First 3D-Printed Satellite Launcher Work On The Space Station [VIDEO] - The Daily Caller