51 - Additive Manufacturing at NASA (PART 1)

AM Radio

Additive Manufacturing Media editors have had the chance to visit three different NASA facilities: the Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Marshall Space Flight Center. Pete Zelinski and Stephanie Hendrixson learned and reported on how 3D printing is being used to fulfill NASA missions through parts like a generatively designed bracket, lightweight titanium lattices and a multimaterial thrust chamber made with two different processes. But where do these parts fit within NASA's broader mission, and what is the role of additive manufacturing at NASA? In this episode, part 1 of a 2-part series, Pete and Stephanie discuss what it's like to visit NASA and the observations they gleaned from being on site. (Make sure to subscribe and join us for Part 2, featuring AM Radio cohost and NASA system design innovator Dr. Tim Simpson.)

Find photos, related links and the transcript for this episode on AdditiveManufacturing.Media.

This episode is brought to you by THE BUILDUP.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Cool Parts Show episodes featuring:

• "Evolved" bracket structures for the EXCITE mission, seen at Goddard Space Flight Center
• Lattices for the Mars sample return mission, seen at the Jet Propulsion Lab
• The RAMPT thrust chamber assembly, filmed at Marshall Space Flight Center

More on these NASA initiatives:

• EXCITE Balloon Mission
• Mars Sample Return
• RAMPT

Our previous episode on qualification and standards in AM, including NASA 6030

3D printed brackets on the Juno spacecraft