Our reporters have obtained information from the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealing a significant milestone. Recently, the microgravity laser additive manufacturing returnable scientific experimental payload, developed by the institute, embarked on a sub-orbital journey aboard the 'Lihong-1' remote flight vehicle. This marked the first-ever successful completion of laser fused metal additive manufacturing in the vast expanse of space.

The experimental system showcased its prowess by overcoming several key technological hurdles. These included the precise forming and control of metal additive manufacturing under microgravity conditions, full-process closed-loop regulation, and ensuring high-reliability coordination between the payload and the rocket. Following the experiment's conclusion, the payload module made a gentle descent back to Earth via parachute and was successfully retrieved. This retrieval yielded not only metal components crafted through metal additive manufacturing in the space microgravity environment but also comprehensive data and performance parameters of the formed parts, offering invaluable insights for future space manufacturing endeavors.