Humans have been mining and using metals for thousands of years, adapting to make them more resistant to environmental factors. In the vacuum of outer space, pieces of the same type of metal can be joined together through cold welding, but this process presents significant problems. Metal welding has historically been achieved through high-temperature processes that involve melting and joining pieces together before allowing them to cool. However, advancements in technology have introduced new methods such as through chemicals, pressure, and molecular techniques.
One such method that is particularly relevant in space is cold welding, where metal pieces are joined without the need for melting. Cold welding requires that the metals are of the same type, clean, flat, and placed in a vacuum environment. When the metal surfaces come into contact, the Van der Waals forces between atoms help pull them together, creating a bond. While this process may seem simple on a small scale, in reality, it requires a certain amount of pressure to successfully weld the metals together.
Although cold welding can be challenging on a large scale
