JPL 3D-Printed Part Springs Forward
26 Feb 2026, 00:00 GMT
Topic: Photojournal
Source URL: https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/jpl-3d-printed-part-springs-forward/
Description With a simple motion, a jack-in-the-box-like spring designed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory showed the potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to cut costs and complexity for futuristic space antennas. Called JPL Additive Compliant Canister (JACC), the spring deployed on a small commercial spacecraft, Proteus Space’s Mercury One, on Feb. 3, 2026.