NASA has moved one step closer to completing a 100-percent 3D printed, high-performance rocket engine following a recent test-firing of the combined engine parts that produced 20,000 pounds of thrust, officials at NASA announced late last week.
According to Gizmodo and Popular Mechanics, the test took place at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama back in October, and a record 75 percent of its components were constructed using additive manufacturing processes.
The rocket’s engine burned fuel at temperatures of more than 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the fuel pumps supplied liquid oxygen at temperatures of less than minus-400 degrees. It generated up to 90,000 revolutions per minute, and one test reportedly lasted a full 10 seconds.
The tests were conducted using cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen—propellants which are frequently used in spacecraft propulsion systems—NASA explained. While the agency could switch to methane and oxygen fuel for its proposed mission to Mars, however, the results prove that the 3D printed engine is capable of handling extreme conditions.
NASA hoping to calm fears that 3D printed parts are too fragile
Among the benefits of the October tests are the fact that they demonstrated that the components of the engine were exposed to cryogenic hydrogen, which can cause them to become brittle, and that they were not adversely affected. Next, the team plans to test the engine using methane fuel, as well as adding other key components, such as a cooled combustion chamber.
The goal of using additive manufacturing to produce engine parts is to reduce costs and produce improved technology, NASA officials explained. It will also save time and allow them to reduce the total number of components required by making what had been multi-component pieces as a single unit. The tests were conducted in part to quell concerns that such parts may be too fragile.
“By testing the turbopumps, injectors, and valves together, we’ve shown that it would be possible to build a 3-D printed engine for multiple purposes such as landers, in-space propulsion or rocket engine upper stages,” said Elizabeth Robertson, project manager for the additively manufactured demonstrator engine at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
David Eddleman, a propulsion designer at the Alabama facility, added that the 3D printing process “really opened the design space and allowed for part geometries that would be impossible with traditional machining or casting methods. For the valve designs on this engine, we used more efficient structures in the piece parts that resulted in optimized performance.”
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Feature Image: NASA/MSFC
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