AMA: Aerospace, Space & Defense 2026: Innovative Space Hardware for Biology

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is utilizing additive manufacturing to revolutionize the development and deployment of biological research hardware for space missions. By leveraging desktop 3D printing and modular designs, researchers are overcoming the high costs and rigid timelines traditionally associated with space-grade instrumentation. This shift is critical for the Aerospace & Defense sector as it seeks to understand the long-term effects of microgravity and radiation on living systems ahead of deep-space exploration.

Sebastian Feles, technical lead of the Aeromedical FabLab at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), has demonstrated that fully 3D-printed payloads can survive the rigors of space flight and recovery. Using standard desktop printers from Prusa Research and materials ranging from PLA and PETG to compostable filaments and SLA resins, the DLR successfully flew a payload aboard a sounding rocket that returned with all data and hardware intact. This approach challenges the traditional necessity for clean-room manufacturing and specialized labs, as every 3D-printed component flown has passed military-specification vibration testing without failure.

The DLR’s Mapheus program is structured to allow for rapid hardware iteration, providing a platform for testing designs that might not survive conventional, rigid review processes. This flexibility is essential for addressing the extreme conditions of space, where radiation levels on the International Space Station reach up to 250 millisieverts per year, and deep space exposure can exceed one sievert annually. By using modular, 3D-printed components, the team can also mitigate the "Kiruna effect"—unforeseen equipment failures at the Swedish Space Corporation’s Esrange launch site—by performing on-the-spot repairs in extreme environments reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Beyond structural durability, the use of additive manufacturing allows for "late access" capabilities, which is a significant breakthrough for space biology. Researchers can load biological samples into the payload just 45 minutes before liftoff, preventing the cellular degradation that typically occurs when samples sit in rigid hardware for days prior to launch. This ensures the integrity of experiments like GraviPlux, which studies the gravity-sensing capabilities of Trichoplax organisms. For the broader Aerospace & Defense industry, these advancements in rapid, modular hardware development are vital for solving the health risks associated with long-term missions to the Moon and Mars.