News

NASA Tests 3D Printed Rocket Parts [Video]

Creating knockoff Lego blocks, a funky key ring or a new phone case are some of the basic features available from your run of the mill consumer 3D printer, but NASA are really pushing the limits of what can be done with the technology by creating 3D printed rocket components.

The 3D printed rocket injectors were successfully tested by NASA at their Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The two injectors mix liquid nitrogen and hydrogen to provide combustion and can reach temperatures of over 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit and are capable of generating around 20,000 pounds of thrust.

“We wanted to go a step beyond just testing an injector and demonstrate how 3-D printing could revolutionize rocket designs,” said Chris Singer, director of Marshall’s Engineering Directorate.

A standard none 3D printed injector would require the creation and assembly of 163 pieces, while the laser melting 3D printing technique required just 2 pieces to be created! That means scientist and engineers saved time making all the extra parts and putting them together, while also meaning a low fail rate by removing so many steps from the injectors construction.

Thank you Time for providing us with this information.

Image courtesy of Time.

Peter Donnell

As a child still in my 30's (but not for long), I spend my day combining my love of music and movies with a life-long passion for gaming, from arcade classics and retro consoles to the latest high-end PC and console games. So it's no wonder I write about tech and test the latest hardware while I enjoy my hobbies!

Disqus Comments Loading...

Recent Posts

GTA 6 Already Winning Awards Before Its Launch

GTA 6 doesn’t have an official release date yet, but it has already earned a…

26 mins ago

DJI Osmo Mobile 6, 3-Axis Phone Gimbal

Stay on Point with ActiveTrack 6.0 - With upgraded tracking tech, OM 6 sticks to…

31 mins ago

Drayton Wiser Smart Radiator Thermostat TRV

Pack includes three Wiser Radiator Thermostats. These smart radiator thermostats are only designed to work…

32 mins ago

Gigabyte B650 EAGLE AX Motherboard

AMD Socket AM5:Supports AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors Unparalleled Performance:12+2+2 Phases Digital VRM Solution Dual…

34 mins ago

Canon EOS 2000D Easy-to-use DSLR Camera Canon EOS 2000D

WHAT'S IN THE BOX - EOS 2000D body; EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens; 2…

36 mins ago

MSI GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12G VENTUS 3X OC Gaming Graphics Card

Triple Fan: Three fans and a huge heatsink ensure a cool and quiet experience for…

41 mins ago