I SS ). ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁NASA ▁e ma iled ▁C AD ▁draw ings ▁for ▁a ▁socket ▁w rench ▁to ▁astr onaut s ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁I SS , ▁who ▁then ▁printed ▁the ▁tool ▁using ▁its ▁ 3 D ▁printer . ▁App lications ▁for ▁space ▁offer ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁print ▁parts ▁or ▁tools ▁on - site , ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁using ▁rock ets ▁to ▁bring ▁along ▁pre - man ufact ured ▁items ▁for ▁space ▁miss ions ▁to ▁human ▁colon ies ▁on ▁the ▁moon , ▁Mars , ▁or ▁elsewhere . ▁The ▁second ▁ 3 D ▁printer ▁in ▁space , ▁the ▁European ▁Space ▁Agency ' s ▁Port able ▁On - Board ▁ 3 D ▁Pr inter ▁( P OP 3 D ) ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁be ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Space ▁Station ▁before ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁By ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁a ▁commercial - built ▁rec y cling ▁facility ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁be ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Space ▁Station ▁to ▁take ▁in ▁pl astic ▁waste ▁and ▁un ne eded ▁pl astic ▁parts ▁and ▁convert ▁them ▁into ▁sp ools ▁of ▁feed stock ▁for ▁the ▁space ▁station ▁add itive ▁manufact uring ▁facility ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁build ▁manufact ured - in - space ▁parts . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Digital ▁Tr ends ▁reported ▁that ▁Be e H ex ▁was ▁building ▁a ▁ 3 D ▁food ▁printer ▁for ▁man ned ▁miss ions ▁to ▁Mars . ▁ ▁Most ▁construction