Astronauts at the International Space Station have made the first item 3D printed in space: a ratcheting socket wrench. They followed emailed instructions to make the wrench.

NASA responded to ISS commander Barry Wilmore's request for a ratcheting socket wrench. Prior to receiving the 3D printer, astgronbauts waited for months in order to get a tool or any specific item during cargo supply flights.

Like Us on Facebook

According to Mike Chen, founder of Made in Space that developed and built the ISS' first 3D printer, Wilmore mentioned over the radio he needed a wrench. The Made in Space team immediately designed a wrench via CAD and emailed the instructions to the ISS.

Wilmore installed the printer aboard the ISS last November 17. On November 25, the printer printed its first 3D object, a replacement part of the printer. NASA said this tool will help astronauts rely on their resources more.

Chen adds the socket wrench was the first object manufactured in space that was designed on Earth and sent via digital data to space.

The wrench was also the first of a series of 21 prints that will produce the first tools and objects to be ever manufactured in space.

NASA will now routinely send data to the ISS for its crews to build their own tools in the future. This will coincide with Made in Space's bigger plans to send a larger 3D printer to the ISS next year.

TagsNASA Emails Wrench to Space Station and it Works, NASA, 3D printer in space, ISS, first zero gravity 3D printer, first object to be printed in space, NASA wrench ratchet object tool email space station