On January 23, news surfaced that on January 12, the Lihong-1 remote - sensing spacecraft, developed by CAS Space, accomplished a metal additive manufacturing experiment in space. This experiment employed a returnable scientific experiment payload specifically designed for microgravity metal additive manufacturing. The payload was independently developed by the Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS).

Following the successful completion of the mission, the payload was retrieved safely. On January 22, a delivery ceremony was held at IMCAS. This mission stands as China's inaugural returnable scientific experiment for in - space metal additive manufacturing carried out on a rocket platform. It marks a momentous milestone as China has successfully fabricated metal components using additive manufacturing technology, commonly known as '3D printing', under microgravity conditions in space. This achievement demonstrates that China's overall technology in this field has reached world - class standards.

This groundbreaking accomplishment is set to propel the development of China's in - space manufacturing technology. It will provide vital support for the construction of future space infrastructure.