Imagine a world where rockets are built not in months or years, but in mere weeks. This is the vision of Relativity, a pioneering company in the aerospace industry. At the heart of their innovation is Stargate, the world’s largest metal 3D printer, designed entirely in-house. With three robotic arms—one for printing and two for post-processing—Stargate is revolutionizing how rockets are made. These robotic arms have a six-degree-of-freedom, allowing them to move within a 14-foot radius, enabling the production of parts up to nine feet in diameter and 15 feet tall. The ultimate goal? To go from print to launchpad in under 60 days.
We are living in an exciting era for space exploration. Companies like SpaceX are making reusable rockets a reality, while missions to the moon and NASA’s commercial crew program are gaining momentum. In this innovative landscape, a startup in Los Angeles is taking a bold step: 3D printing an entire rocket. We had the opportunity to speak with Jordan Noone, co-founder and chief technology officer at Relativity, to learn more about their groundbreaking work.
Jordan Noone and his co-founder, Tim, met as students nearly a decade ago. After graduation, they pursued careers at Blue Origin and SpaceX, respectively. Recognizing the potential of 3D printing, they decided to apply its advantages to rocket manufacturing. Unlike the desktop 3D printing you might be familiar with, this involves a sophisticated form of additive manufacturing using powerful lasers to create industrial parts.
Relativity sees two major benefits in using 3D printing for rockets. First, it significantly reduces the number of parts needed. Traditional rockets can have up to 100,000 parts, but Relativity aims to cut that down to about a thousand. Second, 3D printing offers flexible manufacturing. Unlike traditional methods that require costly tooling, 3D printing allows for easy modifications and design changes.
While other aerospace companies have explored 3D printing, Relativity takes a unique approach. Instead of adapting existing designs, they start from scratch using computer-aided design (CAD). Most of a rocket’s structure is dedicated to carrying and dispensing fuel, so Relativity focuses on creating the lightest and most efficient system possible. They use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict fluid movement, allowing for rapid design iterations.
Relativity employs several key printing techniques. Stargate uses direct energy deposition, where a wire is fed into a melting pool and moved around to create parts. This method is used for structural components like propellant tanks and payload fairings. For smaller parts, they use direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), which involves melting powder layer by layer to form a complete part.
Automation is a crucial element of Relativity’s production model. They have patented real-time controls for the printing process, utilizing machine learning and AI. The control station monitors the printing process, allowing for manual adjustments, but the robotic arms typically operate autonomously. Data collected from the printers helps maintain high-quality prints through control loops.
This combination of automation, machine learning, and 3D printing is paving a new path for space exploration. Relativity’s Aeon One engine is a testament to this innovation, being fully 3D printed in just three parts. This is a stark contrast to traditional engines, which can require up to 3,000 parts. Remarkably, these parts can be produced in only nine days.
While there is still work to be done before these engines are ready for launch, NASA is closely monitoring Relativity’s progress. They have established a 20-year partnership with the Stennis Space Center for future testing. With over 100 hot fires conducted, Relativity is continually improving performance.
Their rocket, measuring seven feet in diameter and 105 feet tall, is already attracting contracts from satellite companies. With 95% of its components printed, the rocket is set for an orbital test soon, with commercial flights planned for the near future.
Relativity envisions a future where 3D printing and automated production lines handle all aspects of rocket manufacturing. This innovation allows for rapid design changes and the exploration of new ideas, making each day an exciting opportunity for discovery.
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Participate in a hands-on workshop where you will learn the basics of 3D printing technology. You will have the opportunity to design a simple rocket component using CAD software and print it using a 3D printer. This will give you a practical understanding of how 3D printing can revolutionize manufacturing processes.
Engage in a detailed case study analysis of Relativity’s approach to 3D printing in rocketry. You will work in groups to examine the advantages and challenges of using 3D printing for rocket manufacturing, and present your findings to the class. This will help you understand the strategic decisions behind adopting new technologies in aerospace.
Attend a guest lecture by an expert in aerospace engineering or a representative from Relativity. This session will provide insights into the latest advancements in 3D printing and its impact on the future of space exploration. Prepare questions in advance to make the most of this interactive learning experience.
Participate in a simulation and design challenge where you will use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to optimize a rocket design. This activity will help you understand the importance of fluid dynamics in rocket efficiency and the iterative process of design improvement.
Conduct a research project on the role of automation and machine learning in modern manufacturing processes. Focus on how these technologies are integrated into 3D printing for aerospace applications. Present your research findings in a written report and a class presentation, highlighting potential future developments.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Stargate is the world’s largest metal 3D printer, entirely built and designed in-house. The core of it includes three robotic arms—one for printing and the other two for post-processing. This is a six-degree-of-freedom industrial robot arm, allowing movement within about a 14-foot radius of its center. Currently, the largest parts we can produce are nine feet in diameter and about 15 feet tall, and our printers are continuously growing in size. Our goal is to go from print to launchpad in less than 60 days.
We are in an exciting era for spaceflight innovation, with advancements like SpaceX’s reusable rockets, missions to the far side of the moon, and NASA’s commercial crew program gaining momentum. A startup in LA’s aerospace hub is on a mission to 3D print an entire rocket. We met with one of their co-founders for a closer look at their operations.
My name is Jordan Noone, co-founder and chief technology officer at Relativity. Tim and I met as students nearly 10 years ago. After graduating, Tim went to Blue Origin, and I went to SpaceX. We both recognized the potential of 3D printing and wanted to apply its advantages to an entire rocket. However, this isn’t the desktop 3D printing you might be familiar with; it involves a different type of additive manufacturing, where an entire assembly line is built around machines that use powerful lasers to create industrial parts.
We see two main advantages in introducing the printing process to rocketry. The first is reducing the part count on rockets, which can traditionally have up to 100,000 parts. We aim to reduce that to about a thousand. The second advantage is flexible manufacturing. Traditional manufacturing often requires expensive tooling, but by using 3D printing as a baseline, we gain a flexible tool that makes it easier to change and modify designs compared to others in the industry.
While 3D printing has been explored by others in aerospace for years, Relativity is taking a different approach. Other companies often adapt traditionally manufactured assemblies for printing, but we start from the ground up. Stargate begins with a part designed in a digital environment called CAD (computer-aided design). Most of the rocket essentially serves to carry and dispense fuel, so we aim to create the lightest system possible for efficient fluid movement.
Fluid flow can be complex, which is why we use tools like computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict how a fluid will move through a manifold. This allows us to iterate quickly on designs. By printing multiple designs using the same tooling, we can incorporate trial and error into the process.
To create future parts, Relativity employs key printing techniques. Stargate uses a direct energy deposition method, feeding a wire into a melting pool and moving that process around. Stargate prints most of the structural components of the rocket, including propellant tanks, structural attachments, and payload encapsulation fairings.
One notable feature of our tanks is our ability to 3D print them in one piece, ensuring they are leak-proof. We can create tanks that hold both liquid oxygen and liquid methane as a single part, avoiding the need for complex dividers.
For smaller components, we use a method called direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), which is common across industries. This process involves laying down a bed of powder and using a laser to melt material layer by layer until the part is complete, which can involve up to 10,000 layers.
On the shop floor, we have various equipment, including Stargate, CNC mills, heat treat furnaces, and other tools that support both rocket manufacturing and the production of 3D printers. Automation is another key element of Relativity’s production model. We hold a patent covering real-time controls during the printing process, utilizing machine learning and AI.
The control station monitors the printing process, allowing for manual adjustments, but typically, the arms operate in an automated manner, receiving part designs piece by piece. We collect data on inputs and outputs from the printers to create control loops that maintain high-quality prints.
This combination of automation, machine learning, and 3D printing offers a new path for spaceflight. Our technology has advanced beyond what was once considered science fiction. Aeon One is a fully 3D printed rocket engine fueled by liquid oxygen and liquid methane, printed in just three parts—a significant reduction compared to traditional manufacturing, which could require up to 3,000 parts. We can produce these parts in only nine days.
While there is still work to be done before these engines are ready for their first official launch, NASA is closely monitoring our progress. They have recently established a 20-year partnership with the Stennis Space Center for future testing. We have conducted over 100 hot fires, continually modifying and improving performance throughout the test campaign.
The rocket we are developing is seven feet in diameter and 105 feet tall, weighing about 120,000 pounds at takeoff, with 95% of its components printed. This rocket is already attracting contracts with satellite companies, even before its first test flight. We are aiming for an orbital test in 2020, with an official launch for commercial flights in 2021.
We envision a future where 3D printing and automated production lines handle everything that comes out of the printers. 3D printing is the key innovation at Relativity, enabling rapid design changes and exploration of new ideas. It requires creativity and a willingness to approach problems differently. Each day presents an opportunity to explore new solutions, making it an exciting endeavor.
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Rocket – A vehicle designed to propel itself by ejecting exhaust gas from one end, used especially for launching spacecraft. – The engineering team spent months calculating the optimal fuel mixture for the rocket to ensure a successful launch.
3D Printing – A process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file, typically by laying down many successive thin layers of a material. – The aerospace company utilized 3D printing to create lightweight components for the new aircraft model.
Aerospace – The branch of technology and industry concerned with both aviation and space flight. – Students in the aerospace engineering program often study the dynamics of flight and the design of aircraft and spacecraft.
Automation – The use of largely automatic equipment in a system of operation, such as manufacturing or other production processes. – Automation in the assembly line has significantly increased the efficiency and precision of manufacturing processes.
Manufacturing – The process of converting raw materials into finished goods through the use of tools and processes. – Advances in manufacturing technology have allowed for more sustainable production methods in the electronics industry.
Fluid Dynamics – The study of the movement of liquids and gases, often applied in engineering to design systems like pipelines and air conditioning. – Understanding fluid dynamics is crucial for engineers designing efficient cooling systems for high-performance computers.
Lasers – Devices that emit light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. – Lasers are used in precision cutting and welding in the manufacturing of intricate aerospace components.
Innovation – The introduction of new ideas, methods, or devices, often leading to advancements in technology and engineering. – The innovation of electric propulsion systems has revolutionized the design and efficiency of modern spacecraft.
Spaceflight – The act of traveling in outer space, typically involving spacecraft and related technologies. – The university’s research team is developing new materials to withstand the extreme conditions of spaceflight.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. – The rapid advancement of technology in renewable energy is crucial for addressing global environmental challenges.
