Disk-Shaped LBW Unit (DISCMAN)

DIsk-Shaped Configurable and Modular vAcuum uNit (DISCMAN) is one In Space Manufacturing (ISM) project advancing in-space welding technology development. The DISCMAN payload is a compact, modular vacuum chamber designed to support in-space laser beam welding (LBW) technology maturation through ground, parabolic, and on-orbit flight testing. This demonstration will simultaneously investigate the influence of reduced gravity and pressure on this process. In-space welding (ISW) is vital to joining and repairing structures in Earth orbit, on the surfaces of the Moon & Mars, and during transit. The DISCMAN vacuum chamber contains a sample cartridge with a rotating platen that holds metallic coupons, sheets, and other materials. A laser welder fires through a window on the laser enclosure into the sample cartridge to perform welds while the samples remain under high vacuum. Thermocouples are placed within the cartridge in contact with the workpieces while welding and thermal cameras monitor the process through the chamber window. The sample cartridges are swappable and removable, allowing for numerous sample configurations and the return of samples to Earth for detailed materials diagnostics testing. Weld samples could include shear, butt-lap, or bead-on-plate line or spot joints in a variety of relevant metal alloys. An orbital demonstration with DISCMAN will provide information that increases confidence in the use of LBW technology on future on-orbit or non-terrestrial missions. Process data captured during the demonstration will also validate datasets for computational models, inform the development of future LBW controls and equipment suitable for flight, and reduce risks associated with goals to advance ISW as a NASA mission capability.

Though welding is critical to 90% of durable goods manufacturing in America, there is not yet a regular and reliable technique for welding processes for the in-space manufacturing (ISM) sector. Connectors and fasteners are the SOA for the broader capability of in-space joining. These methods have been used for on-orbit servicing to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope and perform EVA activities aboard the ISS. However, there are numerous advantages of in-space welding (ISW) over connectors & fasteners. Welding as a joining process would provide a revolutionary capability to further enable the repair, upgrade, and servicing of space assets. Once robotic welding units are in place, modular upgrades and structures may be launched without mass considerations for additional fasteners or standardized mating/capture mechanisms. It would also significantly lower the time astronauts spent on a given joint. Laser Beam Welding benefits include operable in atmosphere and vacuum, the generation and delivery of the laser at a separated distance, less electromagnetic interference than electron beam welding, and no production of ionizing radiation. ISW also allows the assembly of larger rigid structures than a launch from Earth would allow, benefiting from decoupling from the structural and dimensional requirements imposed by launch vehicles and the need to survive the dynamic pressures of launch. For instance, one application would be taller-than-deployable towers on extraterrestrial surfaces for hosting communications above ridges and crater rims for improved line-of-sight and hoisting solar panels above peaks of eternal light.  Additionally, repairs of habitats, vehicles, and other critical structures may be effectuated by LBW.​

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.