It’s kind of like a 3D printer that’s painting with metal.Okay, so Relativity’s Terran 1 rocket was mostly 3D printed, but how successful was that launch? Well, we won’t know until they actually launch it.
3D printing feels like a Space Age technology - from printing batteries to food, and even objects to get into outer space. In early 2023, one company launched Terran 1, the first rocket that was mostly 3D printed. This technology allows for complex shapes to be made with fewer pieces that need to be welded together, and can be done with less time and money. Aerospace companies have been using 3D printed rocket parts for a while now, with SpaceX launching a Falcon 9 rocket with a single 3D printed valve inside one of its Merlin engines, and RocketLab debuting its mostly 3D printed Rutherford engine.
Relativity is aiming to make an almost entirely 3D-printed rocket, with their first attempt being the Terran 1. 85% of its mass was 3D printed, with each engine in the first stage being built from just three printed pieces. The metal exterior was even thinner than a scaled up soda can. They used a proprietary aluminum alloy for the body and a NASA-developed blend of opper, chromium, and niobium for the engines, and had at least two printing methods to choose from.
It remains to be seen how successful the launch will be, but it’s an impressive first try. Direct energy deposition and detail-oriented techniques can be used together to print a 33-meter tall rocket, but could it survive a launch into outer space? On March 22, 2023, Terran 1 made its maiden launch and while it technically made it into space, it didn’t quite make it into orbit. The second stage engines failed to ignite, which may have been due to slow valve opening or a bubble in the oxygen pump. However, Terran 1 did succeed in one crucial way: it made it through max q, the moment when a rocket is under maximum stress as it plows through the atmosphere. This was an important proof of concept that a mostly 3D printed rocket would not get torn to pieces. Although the Terran 1 was retired shortly after its launch, it has helped pave the way for 3D printed rockets in the future and to commemorate this, [SciShow] has designed a special pin. Supplies are limited, so head on over to [DFTBA.com/SciShow] to pick up yours.