▁performed ▁within ▁an ▁in ert ▁gas ▁atmosphere , ▁the ▁reaction ▁vessels ▁can ▁be ▁filled ▁with ▁highly ▁re active ▁subst ances ▁during ▁the ▁print . ▁The ▁ 3 D ▁printed ▁objects ▁are ▁air - ▁and ▁wat ert ight ▁for ▁several ▁weeks . ▁By ▁the ▁print ▁of ▁reaction ▁vessels ▁in ▁the ▁geometry ▁of ▁common ▁cu v ettes ▁or ▁measurement ▁tub es , ▁routine ▁analyt ical ▁measurements ▁such ▁as ▁U V / VIS -, ▁IR - ▁and ▁N MR - spect ro sc opy ▁can ▁be ▁performed ▁directly ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 D ▁printed ▁vessel . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁in ▁research ▁l abs ▁as ▁alternative ▁method ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁components ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁experiments , ▁such ▁as ▁magnetic ▁shield ing ▁and ▁vac u um ▁components ▁with ▁demonstrated ▁performance ▁compar able ▁to ▁tradition ally ▁produced ▁parts . ▁ ▁Food ▁ ▁Add itive ▁manufact uring ▁of ▁food ▁is ▁being ▁developed ▁by ▁s que ez ing ▁out ▁food , ▁layer ▁by ▁layer , ▁into ▁three - dimensional ▁objects . ▁A ▁large ▁variety ▁of ▁food s ▁are ▁appropriate ▁candidates , ▁such ▁as ▁ch oc olate ▁and ▁c andy , ▁and ▁flat ▁food s ▁such ▁as ▁crack ers , ▁past a , ▁and ▁p izza . ▁NASA ▁has ▁considered ▁the ▁vers at ility ▁of ▁the ▁concept , ▁award ing ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁the ▁Systems ▁and ▁Material s ▁Research ▁Cons ult ancy ▁to ▁study ▁the ▁feas ibility ▁of ▁printing ▁food ▁in ▁space . ▁NASA ▁is ▁also ▁looking ▁into ▁the ▁technology ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁create