As part of the RAMFIRE project, NASA developed and tested a rocket engine nozzle made using 3D printing from aluminum. As reported Press release According to the space agency, this nozzle is lighter than conventional nozzles and provides the ability to fly into deep space with a greater payload.
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, collaborated with Elementum 3D in Erie, Colorado, to create A6061-RAM2, a type of aluminum alloy for 3D printing. This alloy has sufficient heat resistance for use in rocket engines.
Aluminum has a lower density compared to other metals, allowing the creation of lightweight and durable components. However, this metal has not previously been used in the additive manufacturing of rocket engine parts due to its low resistance to extreme temperatures and its tendency to crack during welding.
Created as part of the RAMFIRE project, the nozzle is manufactured as a single unit using LP-DED technology: layers of metal powder followed by laser melting. To prevent the nozzle from melting, the design includes small internal channels to provide adequate cooling.
Tests using liquid oxygen and hydrogen showed that the nozzle successfully withstood 22 launches at a pressure of approximately 5.6 megapascals and was able to operate for almost ten minutes. This ensures that the nozzle can withstand the thermal, structural and pressure loads required to power the lunar lander engine.
Additionally, experts from Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) in the USA developed It’s a promising method to protect participants in future Moon landing missions from dust on the satellite surface. NASA has been investigating the moon dust problem for decades and still hasn’t found a reliable solution. Dust control remains one of the top six challenges to be solved for long-term human habitation on the Moon, agency officials say.
Previously Roscosmos named The cause of the crash of the Luna-25 station.