Additive Manufacturing of PCBs in Space

Electrical and electronic failures are the most common failures in the space environment. Fixing them requires considerable expenses in time and money. To empower the new era of space missions, additive manufacturing of electronics in microgravity environments would enable long-distance space travel and other-planet colonization. We propose examining and evaluating the most suitable technologies to execute additive manufacturing of electronic devices in space to repair, replace, and manufacture such devices, thus achieving extension of life. Utilizing the knowledge gained through BotFactory's commercially available electronics circuit printer and Cornell's depth of knowledge in advanced materials, we plan to examine, benchmark, and propose the materials and processes needed to additively manufacture electronics in space.  In-situ manufacturing can greatly reduce the need for replacement shipments from Earth, increasing the self-reliance of the space missions, decreasing thier cost, and achieving a next-level operational readiness. We start with low-Earth orbit, however the benefits of such technology set the foundations for endeavors further beyond.