Momentus to test additively manufactured fuel tank for Vigoride-7
Momentus, Inc, headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, has announced the development of an additively manufactured fuel tank, designed in collaboration with Velo3D, Fremont, California. The fuel tank is scheduled to perform flight testing aboard Momentus’ Vigoride-7 Orbital Service Vehicle.
According to the companies, the fuel tank is said to represent a significant step forward in the adoption of Additive Manufacturing for mission-critical spacecraft components. Leveraging Velo3D’s Additive Manufacturing technology, Momentus designed and produced a tank with optimised features that would have been difficult to manufacture via traditional methods.
Momentus plans to utilise this technology to serve new markets as a qualified supplier for space-rated fuel tanks that typically are high cost and require long lead times.
“Testing an additively manufactured fuel tank on Vigoride-7 is a major achievement for Momentus and a testament to the strength of our partnership with Velo3D,” stated John Rood, Chief Executive Officer of Momentus. “Additive Manufacturing opens new possibilities for spacecraft design and production, and this successful demonstration paves the way for broader adoption across our future missions.”
Arun Jeldi, CEO of Velo3D, added, “Momentus is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space transportation, and we’re proud to support their vision with our technology. Our Additive Manufacturing platform enables aerospace innovators to design without compromise, and this fuel tank is a perfect example of how advanced manufacturing can deliver performance and reliability in space.”
