Braskem partners with Made In Space to develop recycling technology to be used on space missions

Law firm Akerman LLP, headquartered in Miami, says it has assisted Brazil-based Braskem, the Americas’ largest thermoplastic resin producer, in its venture with NASA supplier Made In Space Inc. to develop the first recycling technology to be used on space missions.

The deal was finalized in October 2017 and will continue the collaboration that led to Braskem and Made In Space launching the first commercial 3D printing technology into space. This 3D printing technology enabled astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to fabricate mission-critical tools and spare parts on demand from Braskem’s I'm green polyethylene, a biobased resin made from sugarcane.

The recycler, which is slated to reach the ISS in the second half of 2018, will complete the plastic life cycle by providing astronauts the ability to convert plastic packaging and objects previously fabricated by the 3D printer into feedstock that could be reused by the printer. The invention will improve the autonomy and sustainability of long-duration space missions, while also helping to reduce the cost and weight of payloads carried from earth, Braskem says.

“Taking the first plastic recycler into space is a massive challenge and a source of great pride for Braskem,” says Braskem Director of Innovation & Technology Patrick Teyssonneyre. “This second phase of our partnership with Made In Space will close the plastic cycle sustainably, from the production of green polyethylene made from sugarcane to the recycling of polymers for other applications.”

Miami Partner Felipe Berer, in the Corporate Practice Group, and Chicago Partner Stacy Baim, in the Intellectual Property Practice Group led the Akerman team. The lawyers assisted Braskem in the negotiation and drafting of its agreement with Made In Space, Moffett Field, California. They were tasked with blending the intellectual property aspects of the deal, including licensing and marketing commitments, with applicable NASA requirements and ISS guidelines.

“We built upon the knowledge we gained from Braskem’s first agreement with Made In Space, which enabled us to not only satisfy all of our client’s wishes but also complete the deal within a shorter timeframe,” Baim says. “We were fortunate to have equally motivated partners and a high level of collaboration to quickly move this historic venture forward.”

“This agreement to build a recycler establishes a new standard for plastics innovation in space,” Berer says. “The technology will close the loop in on-demand manufacturing while utilizing Braskem’s Green Plastic, one of the greatest innovations in polymers.”