Improving Ion Engine Optics Through Additive Manufacturing

Quadrus Advanced Manufacturing, LLC is pleased to present this Phase I proposal in which we present a plan to demonstrate the feasibility of using additive manufacturing to produce gridded ion engine optics from W-24Re. This refractory alloy promises to simultaneously improve engine life, increase structural reliability, and reduce overall manufacturing cost and lead time. The improvements we seek to demonstrate is enabled by our proven W-24Re manufacturing process, selective laser melting, which is an important emerging manufacturing approach that is proven to reduce lead time and cost, particularly for complex geometries and/or difficult-to-machine materials like W-24Re. Our proposed change in the material selection and manufacturing of the optics is the first of several planned improvements that will enable widespread adoption of GIE in future spacecraft through drastic reductions in cost and lead time. Our AM W-24Re manufacturing solution provides several benefits. W-24Re has higher strength and higher elastic modulus than Mo, yet can still be formed, which improves structural reliability and aperture alignment. W-24Re has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than Mo, which improves aperture alignment. W-24Re naturally enjoys better resistance to sputter erosion than Mo, which improves engine operational life. L-PBF can already achieve geometries at least equivalent to, if not better than, every engine design to have ever flown, which means it is a practical solution today. L-PBF manufactures components directly from the CAD model, with consistent apertures regardless of grid thickness and no cusps that occur during photochemical machining, which improves grid performance. L-PBF manufactures even highly complex grids in mere hours, eliminating the significant cost and lead time of carbon-carbon material acquisition, chemical vapor deposition, and final machining, with no need for mandrels of any kind.

Planetary spacecraft Interplanetary spacecraft Satellite stationkeeping

Satellite stationkeeping

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