Space scientists successfully 3D print a titanium fuel tank for space travel, making it the first to pass a crucial durability test globally.
Breakthrough in 3D Printing Space-Grade Fuel Tanks
Researchers at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) have made a significant leap in aerospace additive manufacturing by successfully 3D printing a large titanium alloy fuel tank. This tank, with a diameter of 640mm, has passed critical cryogenic pressure tests simulating spaceflight conditions, demonstrating its potential for real-life space missions.
The fuel tank was created using Directed Energy Deposition (DED), a technique that melts titanium wire with a laser layer by layer. This method allows for complex, customizable shapes without the need for molds and significantly reduces production time, as the tank was completed within a week.
The tank's ability to withstand extreme operating conditions, including cooling to –196°C with liquid nitrogen and pressurization to 330 bar without structural failure, is a major milestone in aerospace additive manufacturing. This achievement indicates that the technology is ready for real missions, marking a huge step in enabling private and one-off space technology with 3D printed metal components.
This project is part of a collaboration involving KITECH, Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), KP Aviation Industries, Hanyang University, and AM Solutions. The team chose to 3D print a fuel tank due to its high-performance requirements, including the ability to withstand pressure.
While this technology is currently in early development and not yet commercially available, future work aims to validate durability further through cyclic pressure testing and space certification processes to confirm suitability for deployment.
In a separate project, another team managed to get 3D printed components to pass crucial tests for space travel. The components were coated before passing particle contamination tests.
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