LIA NEWS NEWS FROM LIA
Additive manufacturing for space exploration
Eliana Fu, of Trumpf and formerly SpaceX, shares how additive manufacturing can aid humanity’s cosmological journey
We are in the midst of a new and exciting global space race. In the 1950s and 60s we saw the first space race between the USA and the USSR, with goals to be the first human in space and then, the first human on the moon. As a species we have not set foot on the moon since the year of my birth, but rather we have shifted our emphasis to learn how the human body can exist in microgravity for extended periods. The new space race, featuring private and
small companies, is to achieve space flight using smaller, more nimble launch vehicles. Laser additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is an ideal technology for these companies as a manufacturing process to quickly design, build and iterate structures and vehicles for space flight. Moreover, many of these new and smaller companies have limited resources and space for capex and tooling costs, so AM is ideal, with a smaller manufacturing footprint.
Hot fire testing of a rocket engine built using laser AM, at Relativity Space In traditional manufacturing, rocket
ships for space exploration have used well-known and established manufacturing processes. For the barrel sections of rockets, these would be produced using friction stir welding of aluminium sheet metal after bump-forming and shearing; for iso-grids, pockets would be machined out of thick plate; and for domes, welding and hot-spin-forming would be used. All of these processes have associated lead times for raw material, processing, cleaning and inspection. Any reduction in lead time for any or all of these processes not only results in decreased overall lead time, but allows extra time for any proof testing, hot fire testing and vehicle integration. Components for space exploration
Agile Space is one of many new space vehicle propulsion system providers using laser AM
34 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE AUTUMN 2021
that can be produced using AM include propulsion devices and structural components. For propulsion, specifically rocket engines, the advantage of using AM is obvious: reduction in the overall number of parts (reducing the risk of manufacturing
“It is an exciting time to be involved in space exploration, and laser AM is the perfect tool to achieve these lofty goals”
flaws as only tens of parts need to be dealt with compared to hundreds of parts), design simplification, the ability to print cooling channels with unique overhanging angles, and improved thrust. With better materials that are designed specifically for AM, better heat capacity and strength can be obtained, resulting in improved engine efficiency. This can translate into achieving higher orbit or being able to transport larger payloads. For structural components including the tanks and barrel sections of rocket vehicles, the ability to use AM eliminates the cost of requiring tooling for sheet metal forming and fixturing for
@LASERSYSTEMSMAG |
WWW.LASERSYSTEMSEUROPE.COM
Agile Space
Relativity Space
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46
