On the heels of that success Professors Bandyopadhyay and Susmita Bose have been asked by Aerojet Rocketdyne to explore whether it’s possible to 3D print a microsatellite from metal and ceramic materials.
There are a number of factors that Aerojet will use to judge the success of its partnership with Profs. Bandyopadhyay and Bose. “You can imagine that you want to print an airplane structure, but you have to prove that it's good," said Christian Carpenter, program manager at Aerojet, “The pieces have to work every time - and many of them for long periods."
In the end Aerojet’s goal is to create a reliable, coffee-mug sized micro-sat prototype complete with the world’s smallest liquid rocket engine.
Whether or not Aerojet’s experiment with 3D printing works out as planned Carpenter believes much can be gained from the technology. “Whether the project successfully produces parts or not, we're going to learn something valuable,". Carpenter continued, "I have no doubt that we're going to find an application for this manufacturing process that provides significant benefit."
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