conditions of space. Still, space manufacturing is yet much broader in scope. It encompasses ... nations, and industries and governments .... being incorporated.
°
Enclosure
NASA/CR--/__
To: 98MO-0343
208138 /
/ ._" •
Space
Manufacturing:
The Next
Great
Challenge'
Dr. Ann F. Whitaker Dr. Peter Jonathan
B. Sharpe
Curreri
(Lockheed
Martin
Corporation)
Wendell R. Colberg John H. Vickers National
Aeronautics
George
and Space
C. Marshall Huntsville,
Space
Administration Flight
Alabama
April1998
Center
.
"r , 7
v,
Space Webster
defines
manufacturing
scale and with division friendly
earth
Manufacturing
of labor."
environment,
conventional
technologies.
encompass
the manufacture
Still, space
manufacturing
development transporting
advanced
breakthroughs
in materials
Economically,
and governments
this next great
Materials
Processing
research
of large
space
systematic 0.0001
times
normal
be provided been
With
and Space
Administration
for the Skylab in orbit.
Earth
gravity)
of STS-87
NASA
series
combination
On STS-87
laboratory
In the
initiatives
of productive
and the microgravity
station.
that might
Early
utilizing
or teleoperation,
is bringing missions.
flew the United scientific
industrially
States
research controlled
to
flight,
periods,
can has
and processes
on
a long and successful return
return
mission
from these
for the International
Payloads series,
USMP-4
experiments
for the
(0.01
aircraft
materials
Microgravity
in space.
has developed
in microgravity,
The science
of Spacelab
focused
the last two decades
to a close
in the
for the assembly
for extended
important
science
experiments
parabolic
over
began
Low gravity
conditions,
The emphasis
gravity
be utilized
in low gravity.
an abundant
was just one of a number
of radio,
and industries
undertaking.
in reduced
data that can only be obtained
has been quite rich foretelling
as an example
nations,
then a new field of research
orbit.
missions
which
space
processes
to improving
of microgravity
(NASA)
Microgravity
to near Earth
landing
Station.
leading
of the current
has been obtained
rockets.
scientific
orbital
Since
study of materials
this new knowledge
USMP-4,
this
as well as in equipment
processing
processes
Spacelab Space
falls within
significant
such an ambitious
in the materials
and solidification
by access
the recent
and associated
of products
among
of some
for
vehicles,
challenge.
and sounding
on fundamental
applying Earth.
to finance
required
of space
manufacture,
technology,
of space.
to be used in
of spacecraft
fabrication
will require
and
the research,
of any product
material
cooperation
conditions
It encompasses
Thus,
in space
will be made aware
interest
structures
scientific
drop facilities,
development,
and manufacturing
with planning brazing,
it must
and vacuum
to space.
and manufacturing
Aeronautics
on welding,
of familiar
when
in scope.
in the gravity-
in Space
community's
late 1960's
zone"
issue
as well as commercialization
unprecedented
embracing
The National
process
the reader
the "comfort complex
as well as production
devices
will be necessary
pages
dealing
for the production
conditions,
tasks,
for space,
broader
often on large
when
in the microgravity
necessary
materials,
Manufacturing
following
of items
Challenge
definition
more
is yet much
these
a simple
within
or production
research to support definition.
designs.
Quite
Great
by hand or by machinery,
It is an all together
and vacuum
research
to make
and when working
and manufacture
near zero gravity engines,
as"
- The Next
forth mission, but one that serves
was an effective
and Shuttle
Crew
operated
experiments affect
the design
USMP-4 space,
delivered
unique
and crystal
experiments future. students
that helped
controlled
New
students
whose
growth
York. degrees
this 16 day mission with dendritic, often fastest
an alloys
growth
physics
a number
computer While
chips
busy doing
on glovebox
the crew
by a solidification on earth.
these
results
in flame
to the design
Spacelab
have produced
proposals
the Moon essential
and Mars
increasingly the Earth
availability feasible
for developing
for keeping
for construction
often
solidifying
This structure
model
dendrites
the
A low temperature generations
ever taken
During
particle
stability
of in space.
the crew was
the Particle
clusters and alloy
Pushing
or agglomerates wetting
from that
of jet engines,
composites,
This research,
and that of the other
numerous
concepts
an extended
human
gravity
followed
for pursuit
accepted
during
solidification
to
on the International
and therefore
going
research
scaled
to the reduced planetary
base
gravity
Furthermore, processing.
material
in microgravity
in terms
require
properties,
presently
and applications,
environments. production.
changes
change a factor mold
documented
to be understood important
which in the filling
microstructural
being
samples
the
are expected
for example, Finally
the lower
needs
One of the most Lunar
and technically
properties,
casting,
resources
of resource
g) will dramatically
significant
on
materials
and fabrication,
of physical
In metal
stations,
of in-situ
assessment
acceptable
processing
space
non-terrestrial
have to be reevaluated.
science
is power
beyond
Utilization
of economically to metals
g) and Mars (0.367
processes
of
reasonable.
will initially
of materials
and exploited.
of liquid metals
development
(0.125
hierarchy
be understood
and associated
In regard
presence,
the processing
burden
by the development processes.
level on the Moon
behavior
consider launch
of lunar and Mars bases
extractive
presently
human
and
During
Station.
Current
must
alloys
from the ground
of large
campus
to Masters careers.
for certain
on the orbiter.
which
graduate
interface.
measurements
experiments
and differences
are of interest
included
who
from their
will contribute Metal
unique
of the
Center
Shuttle
temperature
the first pushing
them
school
were the numerous
for future
and even to road construction.
missions,
Space
of
30 undergraduate
Control
ever recorded.
cryobiotechnology, Space
Institute
data applicable
experiments
observed
interface,
These
results
precision
gives
in grade
at the solid liquid
growth
to provide
students
those
accomplished.
USMP-4
the most precise
controlled
hands
Experiment
were
our quality
of numerous
into high technological
like, structure
from of
that are used in the
and over
the mission
them
undercooling
designed
recorded
scientists
during
of firsts
strength.
and highest
experiment
included
at MSFC,
well
products
carry to the industries
on the orbiting
will propel
could
environment
that improve
to these
in the near term,
contribution
tree or snowflake
defines
afforded
Polytechnique
important,
which
products
was the inclusion
Center
experiments
Most
research
science
Control
results
The immediate
and theories
they will eventually
man the Rensselear
dendritic
in Troy,
models
with the mission
Operations
chips.
that produce
The opportunity
knowledge
The USMP-4
from the microgravity
of this mission
interacting
our Payload
Ph.D.
element
and insight;
The students
toured
facilities
from students.
knowledge
science.
and computer
mathematical
growth
important
class
data, only obtainable
that can help improve Another
world
of future jet engines
included
foundries life.
that together
through
elements
and geophysical
on-
and of a
measurements returnedby theApollo missionsprovidedetaileddataon the composition andphysicalcharacteristicsof the lunarmaterialsandenvironment.Basedon this knowledgeandextrapolationsof terrestrialindustrialexperienceit is clearthat several typesof solar-to-electricconverterscanbe manufacturedon the Moon. It is conceivable thatwell over 90%of a solar-to-electricpower systemcouldbemadefrom lunar materials.Thus materialsprocessingissueswill bequitecritical to the establishmentof a permanenthumanpresenceon the MoonandMars in aneconomicallyfeasiblemanner.
Structures
Processing
The adaptation vacuum
of conventional
conditions
cooperation
of space
with the E.O.
from NASA's
Marshall
Experiment flown
(ISWE)
in the Space
Ukrainian space
designers welding space
Hand
Tool (UHT)
and joining.
These
their options a viable
To further
evolve
be developed.
increases
operations.
and thermal
be performed
in space,
Use of robotic
Systems
A little closer
to home,
enabling vacuum transport
factors conditions
suits and astronaut
and inspection matures.
First,
equipment,
in
light-
that may
considerations.
for widely will need
Space
of space
as a tool available
Welding
varied
tasks.
to be
experiment
is
to future
of the world.
in earth-based
to the success
to master
operation
safety
structures
welding
surface
of vacuum,
manual
required
of welded
operations
tasks
The International
endeavors
advancements
of space.
the flexibility
other
of
these operations
environments
by space
will provide
paramount
manufacturing
in the space
environment,
add to the complexity
from
is restricted
habitation
Earth-based
required
like many
the development
and space
and difficult
is
for
requirements
assembly,
requirements
Welding,
welding
step towards
planetary
of these operations
ISWE
In order
and assembly
gradients.
for assembly
as space
inspection
systems
in the space
repair,
all very complex
quality
space
the design
include
The high level of quality
manipulators
techniques
developed another
Postweld
the complexity
dark orbits,
New
of the weld joints;
of U.S.
surface
and maintenance.
for construction These
typical
manufacturing.
of satisfying
welding
When of the
and repair,
data allowing
technology
as capable
gravity.
and configurations
of space
manufacturing
Welding
the applicability
maintenance
In
researchers
Space
in near-zero
construction
and
manufacturing.
of the Ukraine,
will assess
include
process
steps must
of the welding
technology
for in-space
the microgravity
the International
tests will provide
hardware.
and fit-up
Institute
to materials
step in the development
environment.
within
role in space
designed
welding
other processing the space
Welding
Center
to be investigated
must be demonstrated
preparation
to operate
this flight experiment
to be considered
the process
Electric Flight
to demonstrate
to expand
only one more
Paton
Space
Scenarios
cutting,
technologies
will also play a significant
Shuttle,
Universal
design.
coating,
in Space
manufacturing
of manufacturing
reliable personnel
in near zero gravity
and low cost launch and products
technologies technology
are key and
is required
to and from space.
Once
to
theseresourcesarein space,assetssuchasthe as a building feasibility
block
orbiting
To achieve
being
systems.
Recent
specific systems.
emphasis
materials
and processes
improved
to the point
for automated option
continue reliable
while
(including
cryogenic
protection
against
construction,
materials), atomic
tooling
materials,
demonstrated
potential
performance
composites,
composites.
While
performance
composites
from which
have
for bridging
processes,
fabrication,
remain
a more
the cost of producing Recent the road exhibit
developments for significant excellent and fuels
applications,
provide
in 3-D reinforcement cure methods
less expensive, autoclave
be expected
applications,
so
available
over time
and non-autoclave
the gap between cannot
of materials
with chemical
and for space
Improvements
developments
paved
new polymers
resistance,
degradation. resin transfer
processes
to reducing
has
the options
developments
compatibility
for the most demanding
designers
These
These
and high end automated
these recent
by choice
have improved
high performance.
toughness, corrosion
oxygen
of materials
constrained
high
the overall
and availability
manufacturing
composites.
properties,
to reduce
in composite
and manufacturing
in the field of polymer
having
and propulsion
pursued
yet the automated
maintaining
are ever
been made
developments
of the equipment.
resin systems
and thermal
are no longer
of composite
hardware,
the
transportation
materials
of structures
have
The variety
materials
of space
lightweight
are also being
of composites,
to shift the focus
mechanical
options
designers
Commensurate
manufacturing
in high performance
all have
where
can be utilized
to demonstrate
lightweight
the weight advances
years.
Station
factory
and manufacture
technologies
due to the expense
composite
advances
high performance,
Tremendous
in recent
past.
and model
has been on developing
hardware.
Space
processes.
in the design
Low cost processing
as in years
scaled
with the goal of reducing
cost of aerospace
costly
to space,
incorporated
strength,
laboratory
by using
low cost access
increasingly
much
research
of manufacturing
Intemational
low
cured
to replace
they do expand
the high the list of
can choose.
t This paper makes extensive use of information previously published by Russell, Carolyn and Paton, Boris in the paper Space Welding: On The Agenda.
