3D PRINTING IN SPACE
Committee on Space-Based Additive Manufacturing
Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
National Materials and Manufacturing Board
Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This report is based on work supported by Contract NNH10CD04B (Task Order 7) between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Grant FA9453-11-3-0001 between the National Academy of Sciences and the United States Air Force. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agencies that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-31008-6
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-31008-3
Cover: Design by Tim Warchocki.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
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The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
OTHER REPORTS OF THE AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ENGINEERING BOARD
Autonomy Research for Civil Aviation: Toward a New Era of Flight (Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board [ASEB], 2014)
Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration (ASEB with Space Studies Board [SSB], 2014)
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society (SSB with ASEB, 2013)
Continuing Kepler’s Quest: Assessing Air Force Space Command’s Astrodynamics Standards (ASEB, 2012)
NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities: Restoring NASA’s Technological Edge and Paving the Way for a New Era in Space (ASEB, 2012)
NASA’s Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus (Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, 2012)
Recapturing NASA’s Aeronautics Flight Research Capabilities (ASEB, 2012)
Reusable Booster System: Review and Assessment (ASEB, 2012)
Limiting Future Collision Risk to Spacecraft: An Assessment of NASA’s Meteroid and Orbital Debris Programs (ASEB, 2011)
Preparing for the High Frontier—The Role and Training of NASA Astronauts in the Post-Space Shuttle Era (ASEB, 2011)
Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era (SSB and ASEB, 2011)
Advancing Aeronautical Safety: A Review of NASA’s Aviation Safety-Related Research Programs (ASEB, 2010)
Capabilities for the Future: An Assessment of NASA Laboratories for Basic Research (Laboratory Assessments Board with SSB and ASEB, 2010)
Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies (SSB with ASEB, 2010)
Forging the Future of Space Science: The Next 50 Years: An International Public Seminar Series Organized by the Space Studies Board: Selected Lectures (SSB with ASEB, 2010)
America’s Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs (SSB with ASEB, 2009)
Approaches to Future Space Cooperation and Competition in a Globalizing World: Summary of a Workshop (SSB with ASEB, 2009)
An Assessment of NASA’s National Aviation Operations Monitoring Service (ASEB, 2009)
Fostering Visions for the Future: A Review of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (ASEB, 2009)
Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Interim Report (SSB with ASEB, 2009)
Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration (SSB with ASEB, 2009)
Limited copies of ASEB reports are available free of charge from
Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
National Research Council
The Keck Center of the National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
(202) 334-2858/aseb@nas.edu
www.nationalacademies.org/aseb
COMMITTEE ON SPACE-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
ROBERT H. LATIFF, R. Latiff Associates, Chair
ELIZABETH R. CANTWELL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Vice Chair
PETER M. BANKS, Red Planet Capital Partners
ANDREW S. BICOS, The Boeing Company
RAVI B. DEO, EMBR
JOHN W. HINES, Senior Technology Advisor, Independent Consultant
BHAVYA LAL, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute
SANDRA H. MAGNUS, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
THOMAS E. MAULTSBY, Rubicon, LLC
MICHAEL T. McGRATH, University of Colorado, Boulder
LYLE H. SCHWARTZ, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (Retired)
IVAN E. SUTHERLAND, Portland State University
RYAN WICKER, University of Texas, El Paso
PAUL K. WRIGHT, Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute, University of California, Berkeley
Staff
DWAYNE A. DAY, Senior Program Officer, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
ERIK B. SVEDBERG, Senior Program Officer, National Materials and Manufacturing Board
ANDREA REBHOLZ, Program Associate, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
MICHAEL H. MOLONEY, Director, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board and Space Studies Board
AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ENGINEERING BOARD
LESTER LYLES, The Lyles Group, Chair
PATRICIA GRACE SMITH, Patti Grace Smith Consulting, LLC, Vice Chair
ARNOLD D. ALDRICH, Aerospace Consultant, Vienna, Virginia
ELLA M. ATKINS, University of Michigan
STEVEN J. BATTEL, Battel Engineering
BRIAN J. CANTWELL, Stanford University
ELIZABETH R. CANTWELL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
EILEEN M. COLLINS, Space Presentations, LLC
RAVI B. DEO, EMBR
VIJAY K. DHIR, University of California, Los Angeles
EARL H. DOWELL, Duke University
ALAN H. EPSTEIN, Pratt & Whitney
KAREN FEIGH, Georgia Institute of Technology
PERETZ P. FRIEDMANN, University of Michigan
MARK J. LEWIS, IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute
JOHN M. OLSON, Sierra Nevada Corporation
HELEN L. REED, Texas A&M University
AGAM N. SINHA, ANS Aviation International, LLC
JOHN P. STENBIT, Consultant, Oakton, Virginia
ALAN M. TITLE, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center
DAVID M. VAN WIE, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
MICHAEL H. MOLONEY, Director
CARMELA J. CHAMBERLAIN, Administrative Coordinator
TANJA PILZAK, Manager, Program Operations
CELESTE A. NAYLOR, Information Management Associate
CHRISTINA O. SHIPMAN, Financial Officer
MEG A. KNEMEYER, Financial Officer
SANDRA WILSON, Financial Assistant
NATIONAL MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING BOARD
ROBERT E. SCHAFRIK, GE Aviation (retired), Chair
MICHAEL BASKES (NAE), Mississippi State University
LAWRENCE D. BURNS, University of Michigan
JIM C.I. CHANG, National Cheng Kung University
JENNIE S. HWANG, H-Technologies Group
SANDRA L. HYLAND, BAE Systems (retired)
SUNDARESAN JAYARAMAN, Georgia Institute of Technology
ROBERT H. LATIFF, R. Latiff Associates
MICHAEL F. McGRATH, Analytic Services, Inc.
CELIA MERZBACHER, Semiconductor Research Corporation
EDWARD MORRIS, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining
VINCENT J. RUSSO, Aerospace Technologies Associates, LLC
GREG TASSEY, University of Washington
HAYDN WADLEY, University of Virginia
BEN WANG, Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute
Staff
JAMES LANCASTER, Acting Director
ERIK B. SVEDBERG, Senior Program Officer
HEATHER LOZOWSKI, Financial Associate
JOSEPH PALMER, Senior Project Assistant
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Preface
Additive manufacturing, often referred to as “3D printing,” has attracted significant attention recently, including discussion of its applications to spaceflight. NASA, the Air Force Space Command, and the Air Force Research Laboratory asked the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a study of the prospects for the use of additive manufacturing in space. In response, the NRC established the Committee on Space-Based Additive Manufacturing. The committee’s statement of task required it to
- Assess the current state of additive manufacturing in the United States and worldwide (especially in the aerospace industries, universities, and national laboratories engaged in the design and manufacture of small satellites or respective subassemblies);
- Characterize the future states envisioned by the aerospace industries, universities, and national laboratories with respect to additive manufacturing and aerospace systems;
- Discuss the feasibility of the concept of space-based additive manufacturing of space hardware (including, but not limited to, a fully functional small spacecraft) that can conduct or enable missions of relevance to NASA, the Air Force, and/or the national security space communities;
- Identify the science and technology gaps between current additive manufacturing capabilities and the capabilities required to enable a space-based additive manufacturing concept, including those gaps that current trends indicate may be closed with commercial investments in additive manufacturing and those gaps that are likely to require dedicated investments by the federal government.
- Assess the implications that a space-based additive manufacturing capability would have on launch requirements (e.g., launching raw materials versus fully assembled spacecraft); overall satellite and payload designs; and in-space operations, such as possible reductions in mass and their implications for activities such as maneuverability.
The first two tasks are respectively addressed in Chapters 1 and 2 of this report. The remaining three are addressed in Chapter 3. Rather than arrange the chapters according to the statement of task, the committee devotes Chapter 4 to NASA issues and Chapter 5 to Air Force issues, while noting that both the Air Force and NASA can benefit from coordinating their efforts in developing this technology. Particularly in Chapter 3 the committee identified many of the challenges that have to be overcome and the issues that have to be taken into consideration in order to use the technology in space. The committee noted that although commercial investment in ground-based additive manufacturing for aerospace use is extensive, the conservatism of the aerospace industry and the high costs and unclear value of in-space additive manufacturing means that the government will have to take the
lead in developing this technology. In addition, because the application of this technology to in-space use is so new (as of the writing of this report, the first in-space additive manufacturing experiments were planned by the end of 2014), it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about how the technology may impact issues such as launch requirements. As the committee notes in several places (for example, Chapter 2), a benefit of this technology may not be to reduce launch mass but to enable new capabilities (i.e., satellite and payload designs).
The statement of task also stated that the committee may also consider the following:
- The potential mission payloads and capabilities that could be expected from a space-based, additively manufactured spacecraft;
- The role in potential missions for a single spacecraft system manufactured in space by additive manufacturing or for multiple spacecraft systems, including disaggregated constellations and fractionated satellites;
- Concepts of operations for space-based manufacture of space hardware (including small spacecraft) using additive manufacturing, including development, test and evaluation, launch, deployment, and on-orbit command and control;
- Whether it is possible to develop a high-level heuristic tool that Air Force Space Command and other government organizations could use for first-order assessments of space-based, additively manufactured small spacecraft concepts in their integrated planning and process efforts.
Possible future applications of the technology are particularly addressed in Chapter 2. The committee notes that the value of this technology will be demonstrated in the nearer term at the component level rather than the manufacture of entire spacecraft. In Chapters 4 and 5, it recommends that as the technology develops, NASA and the Air Force both apply cost-benefit analysis to the technology but also recognize that new capabilities (i.e., the benefits) should not be ignored.
Acknowledgment of Reviewers
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:
James B. Armor, ATK, Spacecraft System & Services,
Joseph J. Beaman, University of Texas, Austin,
Mary Anne Fox, University of California, San Diego,
Sven Grahn, Swedish Space Corporation (retired),
Douglas C. Hofmann, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology,
Kevin Jurrens, National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Eric MacDonald, University of Texas, El Paso,
Ted Nye, California State University, and
Christopher M. Spadaccini, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Mark C. Hersam, Northwestern University. Appointed by the NRC, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.
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Contents
The Potential of Additive Manufacturing in Space
Different Users, Different Requirements, Overlapping Technologies
A Recent History of Additive Manufacturing
Standards for Additive Manufacturing
Harmonization of Existing Terminology Standards
Ground-Based Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace Use
Additive Manufacturing Construction of Spacecraft on Earth
Additive Manufacturing Construction in Space
A Brief History of Space-Based Construction
A Brief History of Additive Manufacturing Aboard the ISS
Creating Replacement Components in Space
Replacement Components for Robotic Spacecraft
Create Structures Difficult to Produce on or Transport from Earth
Create Sensors, Sensor Systems, and Satellites
Use of Resources on Planetary Surfaces
3 TECHNICAL CHALLENGES FOR THE USE OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IN SPACE
Machine Qualification, Certification, and Standardization
Additive Manufacturing an Entire Spacecraft on the Ground
Transitioning Additive Manufacturing Technology to the Space Environment
Challenges Related to Additive Manufacturing on the International Space Station
Additional Challenges Related to Free-Flyer Platforms
Additional Challenges Related to In Situ-Based Platforms
Evolution of NASA Additive Manufacturing Activities on Earth and in Space
Factors Affecting the Use of Additive Manufacturing for NASA Space Missions
Roadmap Considerations and Constructs
5 A POSSIBLE WAY AHEAD FOR THE AIR FORCE
The Reality of Additive Manufacturing
Air Force Experience with Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing for Space
