Question

Can’t find a wrench? On Earth, that’s no problem. You can buy a new one at a nearby hardware store. In space, though, a lost wrench is a different story. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) may wait months for a supply ship to bring a new tool. But 3-D (as in “three-dimensional”) printing promises to change this.

How does 3-D printing work? Learn more.

Until very recently, NASA had to launch every single item astronauts needed to the space station. That would get very expensive because every pound launched into space costs about $10,000. 3-D printing reduces these costs significantly.​Box ends

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Activity

Reread the part of the passage in the box. How do these paragraphs help you understand what the passage is about?

They describe steps in the process of sending 3-D printers into space.

They compare the costs and benefits of 3-D printing on Earth and in space.

They give an example of a problem in space that 3-D printing can solve.

They make an argument about selling 3-D printers to astronauts.

Answer 1

They give an example of a problem in space that 3-D printing can solve.

Explanation: The sentences point out the high cost and difficulty of launching every needed item to the ISS and state that 3-D printing can reduce those costs, illustrating a real problem 3-D printing addresses.