Northwest Aerospace News February | March 2019 Issue No. 7 | Page 10

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video on Foter.com / CC BY
I
n November 2018, Tethers Unlimited of Bothell, Wash-
ington, launched a recycling and 3D printing system called
the Refabricator into space for residence on the International
Space Station (ISS). The Refabricator recycles plastic into
3D printer feedstock, which allows astronauts to make new
products while on the ISS. The website touts, “In-space
recycling for off-world manufacturing.” The statement about
off-world manufacturing alludes to a goal held by co-founder
Dr. Robert P. Hoyt regarding living, working and manufactur-
ing in space. While putting the product in the ISS was a big
win for the company, it is just one of many that the 25-year-
old business has had in recent years.
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NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
Hoyt said that Tethers Unlimited has maintained long-term
contracts with NASA after an initial contract in 1994 founded
on “cleaning up space junk.” They also have a variety of
Department of Defense, DARPA, and other commercial en-
tity clients. But years ago as they started the company, Hoyt
said, “When we said ‘space,’ we would get the door slammed
in our faces when talking with investors. With the advanc-
es of SpaceX and lower-cost satellites, we are seeing more
investments in a wide variety of startups for imagery and data
collection and low-cost launch vehicles. There is a change in
the perception of space being a viable place to do business.”