3D printed rocket component undergoes hot fire testing

It is claimed the technology demonstration by NASA’s Glenn Research Center and Aerojet Rocketdyne could lead to more efficient manufacturing of rocket engines.

A series of firings of a liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen rocket injector assembly demonstrated the ability to design, manufacture and test a highly critical rocket engine component using selective laser melting manufacturing technology.

Aerojet Rocketdyne designed and fabricated the injector by a method that employs high-powered laser beams to melt and fuse fine metallic powders into three dimensional structures.

‘NASA recognises that on Earth and potentially in space, additive manufacturing can be game-changing for new mission opportunities, significantly reducing production time and cost by ‘printing’ tools, engine parts or even entire spacecraft,’ said Michael Gazarik, NASA’s associate administrator for space technology in Washington.

This type of injector manufactured with traditional processes would take more than a year to make but with these new processes it can be produced in less than four months, with a 70 per cent reduction in cost.