NASA selects Additive Manufacturing companies to collaborate on Moon to Mars project

NASA has selected sixteen proposals from twelve companies under its 2022 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO) to advance capabilities and technologies related to NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives. This selection includes companies with metal Additive Manufacturing capabilities, with both Blue Origin, based in Kent, Washington, and Aerojet Rocketdyne in El Segundo, California listed.

The group of US industry-led teams will test a new lunar rover tire design, develop a robotically assembled power system, build an electrically actuated device to join in-space propellant transfer lines, and more.

Under unfunded Space Act Agreements, NASA will provide access to its unique facilities and technical expertise, allowing the agency to directly support continued development of promising technologies without the transfer of funds.

“By sharing our knowledge and facilities with US companies, NASA helps mature capabilities that promise to benefit our objectives and the entire aerospace industry,” said Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). “These awards allow us to work with both small and large companies to advance some of the most crucial technologies for future exploration.”

The selected proposals include:

Aerojet Rocketdyne, El Segundo, California

• Fully Additively Manufactured LOX-LH2 Engine Demonstration – NASA Marshall
• Electrically Actuated Quick-Disconnect Coupling for Cislunar and Lunar Surface Cryogenic Propellant Transfer – NASA Marshall

Blue Origin, Kent, Washington

• Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing – NASA Langley and NASA Marshall
• Metallic Thermal Protection System – NASA Ames and NASA Langley

The Boeing Company, Arlington, Virginia

• Complex Curvature Retractable Pin Tool Friction Stir Welding Pathfinder Campaign – NASA Marshall

Canopy Aerospace, Denver

• Low-Cost Reusable Thermal Protection System Substrates as an Alternative to Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier – NASA Ames

Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, Maryland (three selections)

• Friction Stir Welded Blanks for Advanced Formed Shapes – NASA Langley
• In-Space Manufacturing Technologies for Thermoplastic Composites – NASA Glenn, NASA Goddard, NASA Langley, and NASA Marshall
• Oscillating Heat Pipe Technology for Aero Entry and Commercial Applications – NASA Ames and NASA Marshall

Maxar, Westminster, Colorado

• Automated Robotic Assembly of the Light Bender System – NASA Langley

Phase Four, El Segundo, California

• Development of an ASCENT (Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic) Gas Feed System for the Phase Four RF (Radio Frequency) Thruster – NASA Marshall

Psionic, LLC, Hampton, Virginia

• Commercial Wind Measurement Constellation – NASA Langley

Roccor, LLC (Redwire), Erie, Colorado

• Characterization of High Aspect Ratio Booms for Large Apertures – NASA Langley

Sierra Space, Louisville, Colorado

• Development of Low-Cost High Temperature Reusable Thermal Protection System – NASA Ames and NASA Johnson

Stratolaunch, Mojave, California

• Bringing Shuttle Orbiter TPS into the 21st Century – NASA Ames

Venturi Astrolab, Hawthorne, California

• Demonstrating Lunar Tire Technology Readiness – NASA Glenn and NASA Johnson

www.nasa.gov/spacetech