3D Printing in Space (2014) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
5 A Possible Way Ahead for the Air Force
5 A Possible Way Ahead for the Air Force
Pages 71-82
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 71... ...
2 This includes a history of additive manufacturing work with metals, including laser direct manufacturing; additive manufacturing of super alloys; and advanced manufacturing of specific alloys. Most of this work has been focused on aerospace aircraft applications, with only a modest amount of recent work directed toward using additive manufacturing for spacecraft construction or operations.
|
From page 72... ...
The possibility of on-orbit repair and maintenance using additive manufacturing technologies was also identified as a possible way to reduce the annual maintenance cost of defense satellite systems. In attempting to address the issue of weight and cost growth, including mission growth, of the current fleet of Air Force satellites, the Global Horizons study reached the following conclusion: We can revolutionize our space architectures by using hosted payloads and launching smaller, affordable, and frac tionated satellites in disaggregated constellations.8 This is a conclusion similar to that delineated in an AFSPC white paper, "Resiliency and Disaggregated Space Architectures."9 Later, with respect to new technologies, the Global Horizons report concluded the following: 3 Matt Fetlow, AFRL, presentation to the committee, April 17, 2014.
|
From page 73... ...
Details of these can be found in the abstract of their study. There are several important technical opportunities for the Air Force that might contribute to the maintenance of space superiority in coming decades, as enumerated in both the Technical Horizons and Global Horizons reports and the work of the AFSAB.
|
From page 74... ...
THE REALITY OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING The committee understands the breadth and potential importance of broad forms of advanced manufacturing technology, and specifically additive manufacturing, to the Air Force's needs and responsibilities in space. Yet, additive manufacturing is still an emerging, incomplete, and relatively immature field of manufacturing technology, albeit rapidly evolving in commercial, academic, governmental, and entrepreneurial ground-based laboratories and facilities.
|
From page 75... ...
When envisioning a capability to print an entire functional spacecraft using additive manufacturing technology in an orbiting facility, there are several questions that serve to illuminate this complexity. For example, • Is the envisioned facility intended for a one-time use to be discarded after spacecraft production?
|
From page 76... ...
AF Demand Timeframe DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Case Number: 88ABW‐2014‐1551 FIGURE 5.1 The Air Force Research Laboratory's Additive Manufacturing Strategy emphasizes the development of this technology primarily for ground-based use for aircraft.
|
From page 77... ...
It is highly unlikely that any reasonable amount of technology investments in additive manufacturing would ever result in a competitive alternative to the current microelectronics lithography capabilities. Similarly, the precise accuracies required in optics would be difficult to replicate with additive manufacturing processes.
|
From page 78... ...
A WAY AHEAD FOR THE AIR FORCE Additive manufacturing is a technology that has great potential to significantly reduce payload mass and size of national security spacecraft and, thereby, achieve a lower unit cost per spacecraft. However, this technology is in its infancy and, as yet, has not achieved sufficient technological maturity to be an immediate alternative to traditional fabrication of national security spacecraft.
|
From page 79... ...
Rather, it is clear that additive manufacturing offers niche advantages to space systems, both for ground-based engineering and space-based operations. But a long-term, strategic plan of engineering system and operation planning investments is essential to take advantage of this new manufacturing technology in the environment of space.
|
From page 80... ...
The Air Force should build on the considerable experience gained from other Air Force technology development roadmaps. The space-based additive manufacturing roadmap should include, but not be limited to the following: • Developing goals for using the technology in key Air Force missions, especially for autonomously or minimally attended, space-based additive manufacturing and free-flyer missions; • Identifying flight opportunities, including those on non-Air Force platforms such as on the International Space Station during its next decade of operations; • Targeting the full technology-development life-cycle and insertion strategies through 2050, aligned with Air Force missions, and related collaborations.
|
From page 81... ...
By starting efforts to consider where additive manufacturing technology can possibly fit into its existing missions, and where it might have positive benefits for things such as reducing launch costs, the Air Force may identify unique value and encourage those actively involved in this technology development to propose new solutions to the Air Force's space requirements.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.