3D Printing Lunar Regolith And more. Developing innovative technologies for the New Space economy and Earth markets
Created: 2022-02-06
Updated: 2022-02-27
Service
- Classification
- In-Space Manufacturing
- Category
- In-Space Manufacturing
ISRU (In Situ Resource Utilization)
- Fields
- Additive Manufacturing (3D printing)
- Status
- 4) Early stage
- First launch
- ?
Fusion is a novel, patent-pending 3d printing approach. Layers of powders are deposited then moved under a 500-tons cylinder to close a volume which is then pressurized and heated to extreme conditions under inert gas. This allows not only the manufacturing of highly refractory objects, but also in-situ material production: deposit the proper mix of material and make it react in-place (e.g. Ta + C). Applications include thermal and high-velocity shielding tiles, and nozzle components.
SpaceCUBE is the common platform underlying both Volcano and Fusion. Based on a 10’ shipping container, it features easily replaceable, gas-tight access boxes that can support a variety of usages. While we put 4 feeding funnels on top, the same ports could be used for a satellite dish, or instruments, or anything your technology needs. Until standards are selected for space power, water, oxygen, hydrogen, and heat exchanges, we are using basic placeholders.
Sources
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