A project from the European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus Defence and Space, and German Aerospace Center (DLR) is attempting a 3D printing first for space.
The STARGATE project aims to additively manufacture functional metal space propulsion components on board the International Space Station. The first part, a 1-Newton thruster developed by DLR, will be printed and returned to Earth for hot-fire testing, in what DLR has described as ‘a game-changer for additive manufacturing in space, unlocking new frontiers for exploration.’ If successful, it will be the first fully functional spacecraft component, built in space and used directly in orbit.
According to a post on LinkedIn, STARGATE, which officially launched at the 4th Workshop for Advanced Manufacturing at ESA ESTEC on July 8th, will study how microgravity influences the printing process and material properties.
Juri Munk, Researcher at DLR recently shared how the centre is researching metal AM for deployment in aircraft engines and rocket propulsion systems, and teased this latest development with the ESA. Munk said, “Our goal is to manufacture a small metallic thruster suitable for in-space operation, directly in orbit. We will return the thruster back to Earth and subject it to hot gas testing. This effort will make a powerful contribution to space exploration while also advancing additive manufacturing on Earth, by providing unique insights into processing conditions and material behaviour in space.”
The milestone builds on the ESA’s Metal3D project, which saw the successful deployment of the world's first metal 3D printer capable of operating within the microgravity conditions of the ISS in 2024. The collaboration between Airbus Defence and Space, Cranfield University, AddUp and Highftech has so far resulted in the printing of a small ‘S-curve’ line test followed by a series of test tokens, which have each since made their way back to the Earth’s surface, ready for analysis. The aim is to establish the impact of microgravity on both process and parts, and in the long-term, potentially, establish a new pathway to manufacturing metal parts for future missions, in space and on demand.
