NASA Tests Prototype 3D Printed Titanium Antenna in Space
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With a simple motion, a jack-in-the-box-like spring designed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory showed the potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to cut costs and complexity for futuristic space antennas. Called JPL Additive Compliant Canister (JACC), the spring deployed on the small commercial spacecraft Proteus Space's Mercury One on Feb. 3, 2026. An onboard camera captured a video of the spring popping out of its container as the spacecraft passed over the Pacific Oc
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NASA Tests Prototype 3D Printed Titanium Antenna in Space By Matthew Williams - March 03, 2026 07:25 PM UTC | Missions Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has a proven track record for reducing waste and efficiently producing made-to-order tools and components. For years, NASA has been testing the technology aboard the International Space Station to investigate how it may increase astronauts' self-sufficiency. This is especially true of missions far from Earth, where opportunities for resupply are few and far between. With their latest experiment, the JPL Additive Compliant Canister , NASA demonstrated another application: 3D printing space antennas. The spring-like antenna was deployed on Feb. 3rd, 2026, aboard Proteus Space's Mercury One spacecraft, a small commercial satellite and the first developed using AI. An onboard camera captured video footage ( click here to watch ) of the spring popping out of its container as the spacecraft passed over the Pacific Ocean in Low-Earth Orbit . JACC is one of two technology demonstrators designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to take up less volume while precisely deploying antennas on future satellites. Mercury One was launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-15 mission on Nov. 28th, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The antenna is modeled after communication antennas commonly used on satellites and is printed out of titanium. The design combines multiple parts - a hinge, panel, compression spring, and two torsion springs - into a single component. This reduces the number of parts by a factor of three, compared to similar structures, as well as the spring's weight and volume. The full package weighs just 498 grams (~1 lb) and measures 10 cm (4 inches). The spring extends from a packed height of 3 cm (1 inch) to 15 cm (6 inches) when deployed. The successful test of the JACC demonstrates that 3D-printed mechanisms can be built faster, cheaper, and with greater ease than methods tradition...
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