University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has set up a facility for the testing of materials that will be 3D printed in space.
Researchers from the university's James Watt School of Engineering will test the structural integrity of materials in space-like conditions in a facility that they believe to be a world first.
The NextSpace Testrig was developed by the University’s Dr Gilles Bailet in partnership with The Manufacturing Technology Centre, supported by 253,000 GBP in funding from the UK Space Agency (UKSA). It uses a specially-constructed vacuum chamber to generate temperatures between -150°C and +250°C, creating space-like conditions to support the development of the space manufacturing field.
Space manufacturing aims to radically change how objects and materials are sent into orbit. Instead of carrying complete devices like solar reflectors into space on rockets, the idea would be for 'specially-designed 3D printers' to create structures more cheaply directly in orbit instead.
However, objects in space are subjected to a hard vacuum that cycles rapidly between extremes of temperature - conditions that can 'wreak havoc' on the structure of 3D printed materials which aren’t rigorously constructed. And since imperfections such as tiny bubbles or poorly melted sections that might be inconsequential on Earth can behave differently in space, potentially causing objects to shatter and scatter dangerous fragments, known as 'space junk' into orbit.
To address these potential issues, the University of Glasgow is carrying out research to ensure materials can perform their function safely prior to launch into orbit.
Dr Bailet said: “3D printing is a very promising technology for allowing us to build very complex structures directly in orbit instead of taking them into space on rockets. It could enable us to create a wide variety of devices, from lightweight communications antennas to solar reflectors to structural parts of spacecraft or even human habitats for missions to the Moon and beyond.
“However, the potential also comes with significant risk, which will be magnified if efforts to start 3D printing in space are rushed out instead of being properly tested. Objects move very fast in orbit, and if a piece of a poorly-made structure breaks off it will end up circling the Earth with the velocity of a rifle bullet. If it hits another object like a satellite or a spacecraft, it could cause catastrophic damage, as well as increase the potential of cascading problems as debris from any collisions cause further damage to other objects.
“The NextSpace TestRig is open to academic colleagues, researchers and commercial clients from around the world to help them ensure that any materials they plan to 3D print in space will work safely. We also expect that the data we’ll be gathering in the years to come, which can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world at the moment, will help regulatory authorities to make safety standards for in-space manufacturing, informed by real-world testing.”
The testing facility features a unique magazine system that can autonomously test multiple samples in a single cycle, making it significantly more efficient than traditional testing methods, according to the university. The system is said to be able to apply up to 20 kilonewtons of force (equivalent to 2,000 kilograms) to break samples and analyse their properties in vacuum conditions matching those of space. It can also subject samples to cycles of extreme temperatures mimicking those they would face in orbit.
The facility is the latest development in Dr Bailet’s research in spaceborne additive manufacturing. He has also patented a prototype 3D printer which is designed for use in orbit and has been tested during a series of trips on a research aeroplane known as the ‘vomit comet’.
He added: “We expect that the NextSpace TestRig will be of real use to the UK space industry in the years to come. Glasgow is already a centre of excellence for space technology – companies here manufacture the most satellites in the world outside the west coast of the USA. Our facility will help augment the capabilities of future spacecraft assembled in orbit, ensuring that the UK space sector can be more competitive internationally.”
The development of the NextSpace TestRig was supported by funding from the UK Space Agency’s Enabling Technology Programme.
Iain Hughes, Head of the National Space Innovation Programme at the UK Space Agency, offered: “We are proud to have supported the University of Glasgow in developing the world's first facility for testing 3D-printed materials in space-like conditions. This innovation will help to drive UK advancements in space manufacturing, unlocking numerous benefits and meeting the government's growth ambitions while ensuring safe and sustainable space use.”
