CRISSP - Customizable Recyclable International Space Station Packaging

While additive manufacturing is a game changing technology for in-space repairs and part formation, it still requires a plastic feedstock material to fabricate the printed parts. For longer duration or long distance missions, a large supply of feedstock will need to either be stored on-board, taking up both mass and cargo space, or flown up in expensive resupply missions to enable the continued usage of the 3D printer. TUI proposes to develop Customizable Recyclable International Space Station Packaging (CRISSP), which is a set of materials, formats, and design methodologies optimized both for (1) the economic and mechanical requirements for ISS supplies packaging and (2) being efficiently recyclable onboard the ISS into high performance 3D printer feedstock. A range of packaging formats will be evaluated for use, including common bubble-wrap, foams, folded and thermoformed shells, and parametric cellular additively-manufactured boxes that can be readily optimized for specific payloads and launch environments. The work proposed for this effort will establish a TRL-4+ capability for material re-use over the course of a mission, providing reductions in launch mass and life-cycle cost for missions employing in-situ 3d printing.