LEAP 71 and Farsoon reveal AI-designed hypersonic precooler
LEAP 71, headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Farsoon Technologies, based in Changsha, China, have developed a 1.5 m hypersonic precooler concept, a key enabler for air-breathing launch vehicles. The component was computationally designed by LEAP71’s Noyron system and manufactured via Farsoon’s FS811M-U-8 Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing machine.
“The dream of winged spacecraft has always hinged on propulsion systems that breathe air at hypersonic speeds before transitioning to rocket mode,” stated Lin Kayser, co-founder of LEAP 71. “By combining Computational Engineering with large-scale metal Additive Manufacturing, we now have a shot at overcoming some of the most fundamental barriers to realising that vision.”
Josefine Lissner, Managing Director of LEAP 71 and Principal Architect of Noyron, added, “At hypersonic speeds, incoming air can reach several thousand kelvins due to stagnation effects. To manage these extreme temperatures, we implemented a fractal folding algorithm in Noyron to maximise the available surface area without compromising aerodynamic flow. The intertwined structure separates the superheated air from the liquid-hydrogen coolant, enabling rapid thermal exchange in a compact, manufacturable form.”
Farsoon Technologies and LEAP 71 worked closely to fine-tune Noyron’s manufacturing output, successfully producing what the companies referred to as one of the tallest parts built on a PBF-LB Additive Manufacturing machine.
“This collaboration demonstrates how the convergence of large-format metal Additive Manufacturing and AI-driven design can redefine the limits of aerospace engineering,” stated Oliver Li, General Manager, Farsoon Europe GmbH. “Farsoon’s open, industrial-scale LPBF systems empower partners like LEAP 71 to transform digital intelligence into tangible high-performance components, proving that innovation and collaboration are the true engines driving the next generation of space technology.”
Article: Inside Nikon’s metal AM strategy
Part 2: Scaling industrial production in Long Beach
| Read now |
The two companies aim to reinvigorate interest in reusable spacecraft and expand focus toward alternatives to today’s vertical takeoff and landing paradigm.
The finished precooler will be exhibited at Formnext 2025 in Frankfurt, at the Farsoon booth (Hall 11.0, Booth E11).
