Enabling Reliable Additive Manufacturing for Space Exploration

Additive manufacturing is rapidly being embraced in the space industry, with adoption accelerating as companies recognize its transformative potential. AM is becoming integral to producing complex rocket engine components, satellite parts, and specialized tools. The technology enables the creation of lightweight, intricate designs, contributing significantly to advancements in space exploration and reducing mission costs. As adoption increases, ensuring the quality and reliability of AM parts is critical due to the extreme conditions of space. Standards like ISO/ASTM 52920, offering process-agnostic requirements for establishing quality-assured AM processes, along with specialized standards such as ECSS-Q-ST-70-80C and NASA-STD-6030, guide the qualification of AM parts for space applications. Qualified AM provides specialized certification services, supporting space industry manufacturers in sourcing and producing AM parts that meet the stringent demands of space missions, thereby facilitating the industry’s growing reliance on additive manufacturing.