Made In Space 3D Printer Filament Is Now Available for Pre-Order Down on Earth

The developers of the revolutionary Zero-Gravity 3D printer currently orbiting the planet on the International Space Station are now selling their space-ready products to us Earthlings. Made In Space started working with several 3D printing filament retailers to meet the public and private sector demands for their plastic filaments, and fund their continued exploration of commercial space products and services.

The first products available from the Terrestrial Offerings line of 3D printing materials are based on the same high-quality products originally developed exclusively for NASA. By working with multiple vendors, Made In Space was able to test dozens of plastics and polymers and settle on the best materials available on the market. These materials can be pre-ordered now, and will be available on May 16, 2015.

The standard Made In Space filament was developed from multiple polymer blends originally tested while developing their 3D printer. The filament is available in a variety of colors (silver, white, black, and red) of PLA and ABS, and a one-pound spool will cost $24.95. This is the same 3D printing material that has been qualified to be used with their Zero-Gravity 3D printer on the International Space Station.

Terrestrial Offerings’ one-pound spool of white AstroABS filament is also available, for $29.95. Due to the durability and flexibility of ABS, this is the ideal material for use in 3D printing usable tools, parts, and products in space. The filament was created with strict dimensional accuracy, making it capable of reliable and sustained 3D printing without clogs or errors. While these materials have been developed for zero-gravity use, they are compatible with any 3D printer capable of using PLA or ABS.

Customers are also able to purchase a spool of natural colored filament that has been hand inspected by Made In Space engineers and passed their strict quality assurance processes. This additional inspection is done to further reduce the risk of printing errors that could be caused by flawed filament. This is the exact filament that would be headed into orbit if it wasn’t purchased by you, and the price tag of $299.95 for each one-pound spool reflects that. It is clearly being aimed at collectors, so unless you’re fond of lighting your cigars with lit $100 bills it probably isn’t an economical choice for your home 3D printer.

The final Made In Space product being made available is a pound of space-ready filament housed in the same exact stainless-steel canister used with the Zero-Gravity 3D printer. Each canister is assembled in a cleanroom and inspected with the same exacting standards used for the canisters being sent into orbit. At $4,849, the AstroABS Canister is ideal for a museum or as a collectible conversation piece.

All of the profits from the Terrestrial Offerings line of products will be reinvested into Made In Space so they can continue to work towards the goal of using 3D printing to expand space exploration. The sale of their products will also help them continue to offer their services to NASA as their primary space-based 3D printing service bureau.

“This terrestrial store is a logical extension of the Made In Space explorer spirit. We have consistently said that our technology will open up new markets for space development and with this announcement, we are doing just that. We are working with some of the world’s largest 3D printing suppliers, providing universal access to the tools we use ourselves, with the goal of advancing this new era of in-space manufacturing,” explained Made In Space Business Development Engineer Brad Kohlenberg.

Not only will the Made In Space filament be offered on their Terrestrial Offers store, but it will also be sold through several 3D printing filament resellers. Currently, Octave.com, 3DSupplyWorld.com, FilamentDirect.com, and PrinterPlayground.com have all been confirmed as parntered resellers and several other companies are expressing interest in carrying the line of products.

So how interested are you in 3D printing filament that was developed for use in space? Tell us what you think about Made In Space and their new line of products over on the Made In Space Filament Available for Pre-Order forum thread at 3DPB.com.