Manufacturing In Space

Made In Space Plans to Create a Superior Optical Fiber in Microgravity

Emily Calandrelli | July 13, 2016

Made In Space, the company that owns and operates a 3D printer on the International Space Station, has announced their next big project: growing optical fiber in microgravity.
The company is scheduled to send a new manufacturing product to the ISS in the first quarter of 2017. If initial tests are successful, the company could begin producing higher-quality optical fiber for applications here on Earth, like fiber-based internet, medical devices and sensors for the aerospace and defense industry.
The idea is that microgravity could possibly be an ideal environment to grow fiber. Today, optical fiber is used in many ways, but perhaps the application we’ve heard about the most is for telecommunications purposes (like in Verizon FiOS or Google Fiber).

Source: http://www.madeinspace.us/

<more at https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/13/made-in-space-plans-to-create-a-superior-optical-fiber-in-microgravity/; related articles and links: http://www.madeinspace.us/ (MadeInSpace website) and http://www.iss-casis.org/NewsEvents/OnStation/tabid/113/ArticleID/224/ArtMID/570/CASIS-Announces-Series-of-New-Research-Awards-in-Areas-of-Earth-Observation-Education-Physical-and-Life-Sciences.aspx (CASIS Announces Series of New Research Awards in Areas of Earth Observation, Education, Physical and Life Sciences. Twelve new ISS National Laboratory projects announced at the 2016 ISS R&D Conference. July 13, 2016)>