Engineers have shown off the first entirely 3D-printed, droplet-emitting electrospray engine, according to MIT. Because 3D printing is compatible with in-space manufacturing, the gadgets may be manufactured entirely in orbit.

A spaceship can be propelled using an electrospray engine, which creates a high-speed jet of small droplets by applying an electric field to a conductive liquid. These tiny engines are perfect for CubeSats, which are tiny satellites frequently employed in scholarly research.

Their proof-of-concept thruster is made up of 32 electrospray emitters that work in tandem to provide a steady and consistent propellant flow. Compared to current droplet-emitting electrospray engines, the 3D-printed device produced as much thrust or more. Instead of waiting for a satellite to be launched from Earth, astronauts may use this technology to rapidly print an engine for a space satellite.

A propeller from an electrospray engine's reservoir travels to several emitters via microfluidic tubes. Each emitter's tip is subjected to an electric field, which causes an electrohydrodynamic action that forms the liquid's free surface into a cone-shaped meniscus. This meniscus then ejects a stream of charged droplets at high speed from its apex, producing thrust.

But it's just half the fight to 3D print the electrospray engine parts. To make sure the printing materials and the conductive liquid propellant were compatible, the MIT researchers also carried out chemical tests. Otherwise, the propellant may corrode or break the engine, which is not desired for gear that is intended to be used for extended periods with little to no maintenance.