Solution Printing of Electronics and Sensors: Applicability and Application in Space

To ensure the safety and reliability of increasingly frequent, long-duration, and long-distance space missions, a sufficient and timely supply of the electronics and sensors that are essential in the maintenance and regeneration of spacecraft in space has become urgent. Solution-based printing (SP) in space can be considered a disruptive technology for in situ manufacturing and maintenance of functional devices during the long duration and endurance of space exploration and crewed spaceflight. Herein, the origin and overview of the printing techniques in space are first introduced and further the printing processes in extreme space environments are discussed; then, its potential space applications in flexible solar cells, soft and wearable sensors, and space-based antennas are forecast; finally, survivability for printed electronics in space is analyzed. Overall, a comprehensive description of the applicability and application of the SP techniques for manufacturing electronics and sensors in space is given.