News Archive / Tagged: 3D Printing

• RL-10 successfully completes hotfire tests

  Collin SkocikJune 15th, 2018

  The use of 3D printing in spaceflight took another step forward in early 2018 when Aerojet Rocketdyne completed a series of hotfire tests of a new model of the RL10 rocket engine which was built almost entirely of 3D-printed parts.

• NASA’s Centennial Challenges awards $400K in 3D-printed habitat challenge

  Bart LeahyAugust 31st, 2017

  NASA has recently awarded two teams a combined $400,000 for their winning entries in an agency Centennial Challenge designed to test the feasibility of systems that build 3D-printed human habitats on other worlds using local materials. This was the second of a three-part Challenge to advance the ability to “live off the land” on the Moon or Mars.

• Made In Space conducts large-scale 3-D build in space-like environment

  Collin SkocikAugust 24th, 2017

  Made In Space has conducted its first successful test of its Archinaut Project in a space-like environment. The Extended Structure Additive Manufacturing Machine (ESAMM) was tested in a vacuum chamber at Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. Additive manufacturing is more commonly known as "3-D printing".

• Made In Space: 3-D printing to revolutionize space construction

  Collin SkocikJuly 5th, 2017

  Made In Space, Inc., the startup company out of Singularity University which, on Sept. 23, 2014, supplied the first 3-D printer to the International Space Station (ISS), has developed a program that it hopes will revolutionize construction in space, called the Archinaut Development Program.

• Aerojet Rocketdyne applies 21st century manufacturing technology to 20th century workhorse engine

  Curt GodwinApril 6th, 2017

  Additive manufacturing (3-D printing) holds the promise of greatly reducing manufacturing times for aerospace industries. In a bid to reduce costs on one of the longest-serving family of rocket engines, Aerojet Rocketdyne recently performed a test fire of a 3-D printed, full-scale thrust chamber assembly for their RL10 powerplant.

• Contest seeks designs for 3-D printer in space

  Laurel KornfeldSeptember 15th, 2016

  Mouser Electronics, an electronics warehouse company, is sponsoring contest for the design of a 3-D device for use in space. The device can be anything that improves the job or daily life of an astronaut in space. Entries must be submitted by Oct. 7.

• Aerojet Rocketdyne pushing forward with 3-D printed rocket engines

  Jose FloresJanuary 7th, 2016

  Aerojet Rocketdyne was awarded a $6 million contract on Tuesday, Jan. 5, to establish the standards that will be used to gauge components fabricated using 3-D printing for application in liquid-fueled rocket engines. The announcement comes at a time when 3-D printing is proving its worth in space exploration efforts.

• 3-D printed components for AR1 rocket engine undergo hot-fire testing

  Jason RhianMarch 20th, 2015

  As Launch Service Providers and other aerospace firms develop new technology or utilize existing systems to increase their capabilities, decrease their production rates, and lower the cost of delivering payloads to orbit, there is one technology in particular that has surged to the forefront of producing hardware for use in spaceflight operations: additive manufacturing, more commonly […]

• Student designs selected to be printed on station in 3D printing contest

  SpaceFlight InsiderFebruary 2nd, 2015

  After three months of designing and modeling, a panel of judges from NASA, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation (ASME) and Made In Space Inc. have selected the winners of the Future Engineers 3-D Printing in Space Tool Challenge. The winner from the Teen Group (ages 13-19) is a Multipurpose Precision Maintenance Tool that […]

• NASA / Made in Space produce ‘replicated’ wrench on International Space Station

  Joe LatrellJanuary 2nd, 2015

  While not quite the ‘replicator’ from the Star Trek television series and movies – a new technology is proving its worth on orbit. NASA and the commercial space company Made In Space – have successfully ‘printed’ a small ratchet wrench, that did not exist on the International Space Station (ISS) before it was transmitted up to the Expedition 42 […]

• 3D printed rocket propulsion system for satellites successfully test-fired

  Jason RhianDecember 16th, 2014

  The MPS-120 CubeSat High-Impulse Adaptable Modular Propulsion System (CHAMPS ) was put through its paces via a hot-fire test carried out by California-based Aerojet Rocketdyne. This particular engine design is a hydrazine-integrated propulsion system for use on small CubeSats and could open up missions that were previously unavailable to the tiny spacecraft. Funded by the NASA […]

• Expedition 41’s Barry Wilmore installs 3D printer in International Space Station

  Jason RhianNovember 18th, 2014

  Wasting little time since it arrived at the International Space Station (ISS), the Expedition 41 crew has installed a Made In Space-produced 3D printer in the station’s Microgravity Science Glovebox. The space station’s current commander, NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, spent a good portion of Monday, Nov. 17 to install the device. The U.S. Space Agency […]

• OPINION: New 3D printer on Space Station may open new era in space manufacturing

  Collin SkocikOctober 26th, 2014

  On Sept. 23, 2014, the Dragon CRS-4 resupply spacecraft launched by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) docked with the International Space Station (ISS), delivering a cache of supplies including spare parts, clothes, food, and of course science experiments – numbering among them the first 3D printer in space. Manufactured by Made in Space, a small startup company […]

• NASA and contractors accelerate testing on 3D-printed rocket engine components

  Jason RhianAugust 31st, 2014

  As NASA prepares the materials and machines to send humans to destinations far beyond the gravitational influence of Earth, the space agency is turning its attention on new game-changing technologies to help them in their efforts. The company’s that enable NASA to accomplish its objectives are also taking an active role in developing new methods to facilitate space […]