The First 3D Printed Parts on the Moon
In 2021, North American 3D Printer Manufacturer AON3D will help Astrobotic become the first American lunar lander to soft land on the moon since Apollo 17 (Dec. 7, 1972).
Onboard, hundreds of mission critical components and private payload ‘MoonBoxes’ will become the first 3D printed parts to successfully land on the moon.
The Technology
An industrial 3D printer for manufacturing strong, high-performance parts. The AON M2+ features a largest-in-class actively heated build volume that provides ungated access to thousands of applications and materials, including PEEK, PEKK, and ULTEM™.
Astrobotic Peregrine Lander
Designed to deliver commercial payloads to the surface of the moon, Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission One (PM1) is set land on the moon in 2022. The lander will be launched aboard United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket powered by a pair of BE- 4 engines manufactured by Blue Origin, another AON3D customer.
3D Printed Parts Replace Metal Components
High-performance thermoplastics can withstand some of the most demanding applications while reducing vehicle mass. At the cost of $1.2m per kg to deliver a payload to the moon, Astrobotic was able to reduce weight by 50% weight on hundreds of aluminum parts with 3D printed thermoplastics.
PEKK – A semi-crystalline high-performance material featuring very high stiffness, tensile strength, and impact resistance. Plus, PEKK can withstand continues operating temperatures of 250 – 260°C with low outgassing properties under vacuum.
ULTEM™ – An amorphous high-performance material featuring many of the same characteristics of PEKK but varies in that it does not have a melting temperature, therefore only softens at high temperatures, giving it the ability to still hold electrical components in place.
About AON3D
AON3D is a venture capital-backed, North American-based additive manufacturing hardware, software, and material company specializing in high-performance materials. Our solutions drive innovation for hundreds of businesses in 25+ countries worldwide, ranging from small businesses to multinational Fortune 500 corporations.
In order to manufacture parts that can perform mission-critical tasks in space conditions, AON3D is using its recently launched AON M2+ high-temperature industrial 3D printer, which can make full use of various thermoplastic composite materials, carbon fiber composite materials and polyether ether ketone (PEEK). ), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetherimide (ULTEM) and other high-performance polymer parts.
Materials
PEKK & Carbon-Fiber PEKK
PEEK & Carbon-Fiber PEEK
ULTEM™ 9085
Polycarbonate
Nylon (PA)