Additively Manufactured Bimetallic Combustion Chambers for Small Launch Vehicles

Arctic Slope Technical Services, Inc. (ASTS) is pleased to present this proposal for demonstrating feasibility of an additive manufacturing (AM) approach for fabricating bimetallic combustion chambers. Our chamber design, which is applicable to future NASA small launch vehicles, exploits the combined capabilities of selective laser melting (SLM) and magnetic pulse welding (MPW), in order to reduce manufacturing lead time and cost and to improve quality through ease of inspection. The benefits of such a design are substantial. First, it is well understood that for complicated components like a modern combustion chamber, an AM manufacturing approach can drastically reduce cost (by 50% or more) and lead time (weeks instead of months). Second, our particular design overcomes weaknesses of other additive designs by enabling easy inspection of the printed parts that otherwise would have to undergo CT scanning or X-ray inspection, which has proven to be exceptionally difficult for complex internal geometries like regenerative cooling channels and propellant manifolds. Third, our basic material and manufacturing approach is scalable to booster class combustion chambers at a rate controlled solely by scaling of the build volumes available in commercial SLM machines (which is occurring rapidly). In fact, commercial MPW systems are already being used in the automotive industry that can instantaneously weld parts of several meters in length.

Main combustion chambers for large and small primary propulsion systems for future launch vehicles. The basic technology could also apply to heat exchangers, waste water reclamation units, and other ECLISS components.

Main combustion chambers for large and small primary propulsion systems for future missile defense target vehicles. The basic technology could also apply to heat exchangers, waste water reclamation units, and air intake components.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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