3D-Printing Technology Adding a New Dimension to the Space Exploration Missions

Humanity has been consistently pushing the boundaries of space exploration with remarkable technological advancements since the beginning of the "Space Age" in 1957. In the span of mere 65 years, the exponential growth opportunities with the latest technologies have led to a rise in ambition and competition among the key players in the space industry globally.

Since the onset of the new space race, new enterprises that are essentially spacetech startups are beginning to emerge. These companies are led by highly motivated, enthusiastic, and driven individuals committed to their purpose.

Currently, the latest buzz among these space enthusiasts has been about the application of additive manufacturing (AM), often known as 3D printing technology, as a tool to assist in achieving their objectives. Simply put, AM is advancing the next stage of space research for metallic components on spacecraft or even on the launch pad.

For instance, Relativity Space, a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturing company, unveiled its next-generation metal 3D printers for rockets in October 2022. It's anticipated that these printers will be essential for industrial-scale 3D printing of rockets. These latest metal 3D printers feature a lot of improvements that will enable Relativity Space to increase the manufacturing of 3D-printed rockets.

Relativity Space specifically mentions how the new printers will print 12 times faster than Relativity's total solutions and seven times faster than its Stargate predecessors. The firm adds that strong perception technologies for in-process monitoring will also lead to better print quality.

On the other hand, 3D printing can also be used to create the payloads that are now being sent into orbit. For instance, a satellite antenna is the ideal metallic component to benefit from 3D printing to improve its performance and reliability.

In this article, we will further dive into more latest examples of the advent of digital manufacturing in the form of 3D printing technology in the space industry and how it is impacting future space exploration missions.

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Fast-Paced Adoption of 3D-Printing Technology in Space Exploration

The development of new space enterprises has been facilitated by a powerful generation of entrepreneurial billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Companies are turning toward additive manufacturing (AM) technology to reduce the cost of access to space, a concept popularized by Elon Musk's SpaceX, as the thrilling space business environment flourishes.?

The space giant was able to reduce the price from the exorbitant $54,500 per kilogram it used to cost to launch a payload on the space shuttle to just $2,720 per kilogram for a trip aboard its Falcon 9 two-stage rocket.

Following this, companies such as?Made In Space, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Blue Origin are also collaborating with conventional 3D printing manufacturers and service providers to increase their selection of printed parts as they strive for shorter lead times.

Engineers now have a strong tool, owing to technology, to advance rocket production, which was previously static. Innovative thinkers with big visions, like the Relativity Space founders, have even gone so far as to design their own additive technology to quickly develop entirely 3D-printed rockets.

Apart from the established space tech companies, many startups are also making significant strides toward the successful adoption of 3D printing technology. A few examples have been mentioned as follows:

1.??????ABL Space Systems: The Los Angeles-based rocket manufacturing startup ABL Space Systems set out to build and produce its rocket engines in-house with the goal of demonstrating that traveling to space can be quick, easy, and routine. The thrust chamber and other components of the E2 engines, which will power Stages 1 and 2 of the RS1 launch vehicle, were made by ABL using additive manufacturing techniques. Through this focused application of AM, the engine was able to incorporate intricate internal fluid passages.?

2.??????Astra Space: Astra Space, an American launch vehicle company based in California, was established with the goal of making rocket launches to low-Earth orbit (LEO) common, routine, and automated. To address the growing demand for small satellite launches, Astra Space is creating small rockets that are built for mass manufacturing and dependable performance. Even though co-founders Chris Kemp and Adam London state they don't utilize "expensive 3D printing or labor-intensive composites" to create the rockets, instead, they employed AM to finish the impellers for their Rocket 3.0's pumps and rocket engine chambers.?

3.??????Axiom Space: The world's first privately owned commercial space station's major developer, Axiom Space, intends to 3D printed components in orbit. Axiom intends to use the ISS to combine its successful 3D printing capabilities through a prospective relationship with the Made In Space organization. To meet clients' increasing demand, the companies have been figuring out the logistical aspects of in-space production and equipped the in-space factory with tools, utilities, electricity, and thermal management.?

4.??????Dawn Aerospace: Dawn Aerospace, a New Zealand-based aerospace company, manufactures non-toxic satellite propulsion systems and same-day reusable launch vehicles for sustainable space travel. For its Mk-II Aurora sub-scale suborbital spacecraft, which was launched in 2020, the company used 3D printing combustion chambers for high-performance and high-combustion-pressure rocket engines. ?

It anticipates that 3D printing composite materials will give the engines the thermal conductivity required to safeguard against space travel hazards that conventionally printed materials like titanium and stainless steel lack.?

5.??????Launcher Space: The Brooklyn-based company Launcher Space has been working to create what it claims to be the largest single-piece 3D printed combustion chamber for liquid rocket engines. The E-2 engine has undergone numerous tests at Launcher's test center in New York. Launcher's small rockets will start conducting flight tests in 2023 with a focus on the niche private satellite launch industry.

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Conclusion

The promising potential exists for the low-volume fabrication of space mission-related components using additive manufacturing. What was once a cutting-edge technology used primarily for prototyping is now being fully utilized to produce end-use parts.

By utilizing techniques like generative design and topology optimization for weight reduction, the holy grail of aeronautical engineering and one of this industry's main concerns, experts predict that the space industry will continue to gain from additive manufacturing.

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