NASA 'nauts have a go on Star Trek replicator IN SPAAAAACE (sort of)

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have tested their new 3D printer – proving they can manufacture small parts while in orbit, somewhat. "This first print is the initial step toward providing an on-demand machine shop capability away from Earth," said Niki Werkheiser, project manager for the ISS 3D Printer at …

[Anonymous Coward]

"Tea....Earl Grey, hot"

Picard: "Computer.....computer i wanted a cup of tea not a load of plasic shite".

Picard: "Computer, locate Commander Laforge".

Laforge: "Laforge here sir".

Picard: "Commander.....you're sacked.

Laforge: "why?"

Picard: "I've got a packet of Hob Nobs and nothing to dunk them into....that why!"

[stucs201]

Re: "Tea....Earl Grey, hot"

Well this explains the multi-coloured food cube things in the original series. Much easier than a cup of tea.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Tea....Earl Grey, hot"

is that from the final front ear?

[Matt Bieneman]

Spare parts.

Picard: "Tea....Earl Grey, hot"

Replicator: "Unable to comply. Replicator component 123-A has failed and must be replaced."

Picard: "Make one replicator component 123-A."

Replicator: "Unable to comply. Replicator component 123-A has failed and must be replaced."

.

.

.

I think they'll need to make all of the possible spare parts now, while the machine still works.

[Vic]

Re: Spare parts.

"Unable to comply. Replicator component 123-A has failed and must be replaced."

There's an old saying - if you need one, take two...

Vic.

[Maldax]

Hmmmm Chicken and Egg

How does a broken printer print bit to fix itself??

[DNTP]

Re: Hmmmm Chicken and Egg

No better than a single human being can reproduce xirself I guess. Therefore as long as we do not put two of them on the same ship we can hold off the inevitable conquest of space by self replicating machine armies.

(Please note the use of xir as a non-gendered replacement prefix and consider using it yourself in future comments. This footnote will repeat itself until we make english funnier.)

[Al Black]

Re: Hmmmm Chicken and Egg

Why not Xemself?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Xir

Clearly, and somewhat in line with urbandictionary, you seem to hold this "xir" idea you are promoting in very high regard. :-)

[Pascal Monett]

Well it's not an entirely bad idea.

And I'm all for making English funnier.

[Youngdog]

Re: Hmmmm Chicken and Egg

A website by IT professionals for IT professionals and still there are people who haven't heard of 'resilience'. You obviously have 2 onboard....

[Clive Galway]

Re: Hmmmm Chicken and Egg

Two printers.

[Voland's right hand]

3D printing with metal is hard on earth

In space the printed part does not oxidize, dissolve nitrogen or any of the other things which prevent a realistic use of 3d printing of metal.

So if anything, runing a functional 3d printer in space is likely to be easier than on Earth. However, it will, by necessity be an external experiment (or require its own built-in-airlock).

[Mikel]

Re: 3D printing with metal is hard on earth

NASA already commissioned a metal printer on Earth. It is supposed to be spaceworthy, but they probably don't want to risk it in confined quarters on ISS.

[stuartnz]

Did someone say tea?

Any replicator in space is honour-bound to produce only "something almost but not quite entirely unlike tea", surely?

[Graham Marsden]

@stuartnz - Re: Did someone say tea?

I'm sure it will produce something we can all Share and Enjoy!

[Mystic Megabyte]

zzzzzzzz

I started to read the article but drifted off...

[mIRCat]

I think I saw this in a movie once.

"Ultimately, one day, a printer may even be able to print another printer."

Have the boffins learned nothing!?

[Lionel Baden]

Magnetic wall

Why not have a magnetic wall in a sealed lower pressure section for Machine shop ?

*paris, because somebody must of thought of that already ??? or I am missing an obvious massive flaw

[an it guy]

Re: Magnetic wall

flaw: not all metals are magnetic.

titanium, aluminium, magnesium, gold (for electronics), etc.

A better option would simply be a 'fume hood' or negative pressure enviroment where all the air moves to the back of a system and is cleaned using a filter, as you mention

[Lionel Baden]

Re: Magnetic wall

I was hoping the lower pressure environment, would resolve the floating non ferrous materials, including plastic shavings etc etc

[Anonymous Coward]

RE. Re. Magnetic wall

Maglevs work a lot better in space, one way is to use a diamagnetic compound such as water.

Relatively inert and easy to control using magnetic fields and can be an effective way to contain dust.