Russian cosmonauts release 3D printed satellite from space station

Spacewalking cosmonauts set free the world’s first satellite made almost entirely with a 3D printer on Thursday.

In total, Russians Fyodor Yurchikhin and Sergey Ryazanskiy ended up releasing five nanosatellites by hand. One by one, the tiny craft, no more than 1 to 2 feet in size, tumbled safely away from the International Space Station.

The exterior casing of the first one tossed overboard was made with a 3D printer. So were the battery packs inside. Researchers want to see how 3D-made parts weather the space environment.

The 3D satellite contains regular electronics. It also holds greetings to planet Earth in a variety of languages, courtesy of students at Siberia’s Tomsk Polytechnic University, where the satellite was made.

The other satellites deployed on Thursday have traditional spacecraft parts.

Each weighs just 10 to 24 pounds. They’re expected to orbit for five to six months.