NASA flying first zero-gravity 3D printer into space

Printers in space! Astronauts on the space station may not have to wait for the next resupply mission if they can print out needed parts right on board.

A small desktop-size 3D printer is about to boldly go where no 3D printer has gone before: into space. The printer is scheduled to launch with other cargo on a resupply mission aboard SpaceX-4, which could head up the International Space Station as early as September 19. 

NASA has embraced 3D printers down here on Earth, so it's only natural it would want to extend the technology to reach astronauts in orbit. The experiment is officially called the "3D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration." Made in Space, a small business focused on adapting 3D printing for manufacturing in space, built the printer for NASA.

The printer is the size of a small microwave and is mainly designed as a proof of concept to see if printing in zero gravity can create objects that are as accurate and as strong as those produced by a printer on Earth. 

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I know Putin loves that we pay him 71 million bucks per seat to catch a ride to the ISS on his rockets.

I've often heard that the old Space Shuttle Door Gunners had out of this world capabilities.