In-orbit molecular contamination can rapidly degrade the performance of sensitive sub-systems, such as optical instruments, thermal control surfaces and solar arrays. In existing spacecraft design, most of the effort is concerned with reducing the contamination potential at source e.g. by limiting high outgassing materials, reducing view factors between materials and the surfaces etc. However this is generally a very complex task, and, despite best efforts, contamination in-orbit cannot be fully eliminated.

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Electroless plating technique has been extensively used for many decades not only in the space domain, but also in other high end industrial sectors. The existing electroless techniques works very well in case of regular and flat geometries but in case of complex shapes the thickness uniformity of the deposition layer can be an issue. The current research activities related to this topic are mainly focused on the optimization of the electronic bath using ionic liquid.

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In the course of this project, authors have developed an additive manufacturing technique firmly rooted in the Powder Bed Fusion methodology, specifically designed to address the challenge of Off-Earth Manufacturing. The unique aspect of the technology lies in the utilization of a specialized feedstock material in form of a colloidal mixture. This material has the remarkable capability to create a rigid and stable powder bed, making it exceptionally well-suited for operation in zero-gravity conditions.