Low Cost Upper Stage (LCUS) Propulsion

NASA funded: Existing additive manufacturing (AM) equipment combined with new, enabling processes, and manufacturing 'best practices' will make it possible for more companies to build high quality rocket propulsion hardware at a lower cost and faster delivery than previously possible. These cost and schedule savings will be passed along to NASA when a new rocket engine is competed. AM can potentially offer an order of magnitude savings of cost and schedule for complex rocket propulsion hardware. AM process development for copper alloy, materials characterization, and technology transfer to industry will open new competitive markets that may reach beyond the space flight industry. Provide space industry with new material property database and proven techniques for implementing AM in their manufacturing process. NASA unfunded: Any future liquid propulsion system has the potential to benefit from this technology effort. OGA: Airforce propulsion programs and rocket engine development/procurement can benefit from lower cost and faster design cycles due to this technology. Commercial: Commercial Space Industry propulsion programs and rocket engine development can benefit from lower cost and faster design cycles due to this technology. Nation: New capabilities in fabrication of high strength difficult to work with parts compared to common materials will allow the USA to be more competitive in the world market. This fabrication process allows faster design cycles and iterations allowing for fabrication of parts that have not been possible using conventional methods. This technology will add a very capable tool for the Nations Space Program as well as many other applications. More »