Aerojet Rocketdyne Successfully Tests 3-D Printer in Upper Stage Rocket Engine

Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10. Photo: Aerojet Rocketdyne

[Via Satellite 03-08-2016] Aerojet Rocketdyne has completed a series of successful hot-fire tests of its RL10 upper-stage rocket engine. The RL10 development engine, dubbed XR708, included a core main injector built using additive manufacturing technology, often referred to as 3-D printing. The work was done in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force and NASA’s Glenn Research Center as part of the RL10 Additive Manufacturing Study (RAMS) program, which aims to demonstrate the capability of additively manufactured complex parts and qualify them for use in large rocket engines.

The core main injector was fabricated using an additive manufacturing technology known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). SLM is essentially a micro-welding technique that uses a high-powered laser beam to fuse powdered metal to form detailed components that can perform under the extreme pressures and operating conditions of rocket engines.

“This is among the most complex components we have tested in a large rocket engine to date,” said Jay Littles, director of advanced launch programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne. “However, we’ve just scratched the surface of what this technology will do to revolutionize our industry. Our design engineers are just starting to take advantage of the expanded possibilities enabled by this new manufacturing technology. They are now free to design products that were once thought impossible to build due to the constraints of traditional manufacturing.”