L3Harris Technologies has partnered with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University to test 3D printed materials for use on satellites on the International Space Station (ISS).
The payloads will be launched on SpaceX’s 27th Commercial Resupply Services mission, which includes a project to test 3D-printed radio frequency (RF) circuitry designed by L3Harris and several samples of 3D-printed material.
The materials will be subjected to extreme temperatures, radiation, and atomic oxygen to validate their performance in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and ensure they can withstand the harsh space environment. The project is a follow-up to a 2021 experiment on the ISS that collected two months of data, and this time the photonic material will also be tested for a new technology called photonic integrated circuits.
“We are excited to test the 3D-printed materials for six months and compare the new results to previous ISS ground-based experiments and tests,” said Arthur C. Paolella, L3Harris Principal Scientist and Technical Fellow.
“The ability to 3D print materials for use in space opens up new possibilities for satellite design and construction, while making spacecraft manufacturing more cost-effective and efficient.”
The results of the experiment will be used to develop and refine materials for use in manufacturing satellites, potentially reducing the size, weight, and power of communications systems and increasing the amount of data that can be transmitted from one satellite to another. .
L3Harris also plans to explore other potential space applications for 3D-printed materials, such as in-orbit fabrication and repair.
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