Make It, Don’t Take It: In-Space Manufacturing & Lunar

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration GCD PPBE 22 Existing Project – New Content

Corky Clinton, MMPACT PI and Tracie Prater, ISM Deputy ManagerMike Fiske, MMPACT Olympus Element Lead; Jennifer Edmunson, MMPACT Project ManagerMarshall Space Flight Center

FISO Meeting 09.09.2020

Make It, Don’t Take It:In-Space Manufacturing & Lunar Construction Technology Development

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Page 2

• In Space Manufacturing (ISM)

• Proof of Concept Flight Experiment

• In Situ Fabrication and Repair

• 3DP on ISS

• WHY – The Case for ISM

• Initial Portfolio

• Current Portfolio Organization

• In Space – Extraterrestrial Construction

• Lunar Contour Crafting

• ACES/ACME – Destination Mars

• Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII) and Artemis

• Moon-to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies (MMPACT)

• Questions

Agenda


In Space Manufacturing at MSFC – The Beginning• First “proof of concept” experiment to

assess whether a Stratasys FDM would function in a microgravity environment was conducted on NASA’s KC-135 reduced-gravity aircraft in 1999.

• Seven part configurations were designed, built using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) feedstock, and analyzed.

• Initial experiment results indicated that “application of layered fabrication techniques is apparently feasible for standard and some non-standard part designs.”

• It was recommended that “further testing be granted in a full microgravity setting, i.e. aboard the space shuttle or space station”

• A new opportunity arose in 2004 as NASA’s Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR) was restructuring its portfolio to increase focus on support for exploration.

• The Exploration Science and Technology Division at MSFC formulated and recommended the establishment of the In Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFR) Program Element

9/8/2020

PI Ken Cooper on KC-135

Examples of parts“as-designed vs as-built”


In Situ Fabrication and Repair

4

CAPABILITIES WITH THE FOLLOWING EMPHASIS:

RECYCLING

– Reuse of failed parts & waste materials

– Limitation of waste stream variety

– Simplification

(In Situ Fabrication & Repair)

FABRICATION

– Feedstock flexibility (In Situ, provisioned, recycled)

– Miniaturization– Speed– Part accuracy ad surface

finish– Multi material

REPAIR

– Unique material properties

– Environmental performance

– In Situ processes

HABITATSTRUCTURES

– Radiation shielding features– Use of In Situ resources– Autonomous construction


NON DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION

– Independent quality assurance of In Situ processes

– Integrated closed loop control of In situ process

– Failure analysis and routine inspection applicability

SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS / APPLICABILITY AND CONSIDERATION:

– Mobile Army Parts Hospital

– Interoperability between ISFR, FAB, REPAIR NDE, RECYCLING, and, HAB concepts

Measuring Machine/Laser Scan

OES

ISFR BRIEFING

7373004

Page 3

Turbine Welding Inflatable Concrete Structure Reactor

OF TOOLS AND PARTS WITH THE FOLLOWING EMPHASIS:




ISS Maintenance Logistics Models – Cirillo Analysis

9/8/2020

Each square

represents 1000 kg

~13,000 kgon orbit

~18,000 kg on ground, ready to fly on demand

~3,000 kgUpmassper year

This is for a system with:• Regular resupply (~3 months)• Quick abort capability• Extensive ground support and redesign/re-fly capability

Cirillo, W., Aaseng, G., Goodliff, K., Stromgren, C., and Maxwell, A., Supportability for Beyond Low Earth Orbit Missions," AIAA SPACE 2011 Conference & Exposition, No. AIAA-2011-7231, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Long Beach, CA, Sep 2011, pp. 1-12.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Page 69/8/2020

Each square

represents 1000 kg

~13,000 kgon orbit

~18,000 kg on ground, ready to fly on demand

~3,000 kgUpmassper year

This is for a system with:• Regular resupply (~3 months)• Quick abort capability• Extensive ground support and redesign/re-fly capability

Cirillo, W., Aaseng, G., Goodliff, K., Stromgren, C., and Maxwell, A., Supportability for Beyond Low Earth Orbit Missions," AIAA SPACE 2011 Conference & Exposition, No. AIAA-2011-7231, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Long Beach, CA, Sep 2011, pp. 1-12.Owens, A. C., and O.L. de Weck. “Systems Analysis of In-Space Manufacturing Applications for the International Space Station and the EvolvableMars Campaign.” AIAA SPACE 2016 Conference & Exposition. Long Beach, CA. 2016. (submitted for publication)

ISS Maintenance Logistics Model – Cirillo and Owens Analyses

~95% of all corrective spares will never be used

Impossible to know which spares will be needed

Unanticipated system issues appear, even after years of testing and operation

Large complement of spares required to ensure crew safety

Current maintenance logistics strategy will not be effective for deep space missions

ISM has potential to significantly reduce maintenance logistics mass requirements


The First Step: 3D Printer International Space Station (ISS)Technology Demonstration

9/8/2020

• A total of 21 parts were printed on ISS, including the uplinked ratchet handle.• Comprehensive nondestructive inspection and testing performed on all articles• Mechanical property differences observed between flight and ground samples• Phase ll ISS prints targeted extruder standoff distance as probable cause for differences

observed in Phase I data.• Overall, we cannot attribute any of the observations to microgravity effects. • Lessons Learned were incorporated into the next generation 3D Printer for ISS –

Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) by Made In Space

Mechanical Property

Test ArticlesFunctional Tools


Key ISM Thrust Areas

9/8/2020


The technologies within the In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) portfolio provide a solution towards sustainable, flexible missions through development of on-demand fabrication, replacement, and recycling capabilities.

NASA’s In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) Project Overview

• ISM is divided into three project elements funded under NASA’s Game Changing Development (GCD) Program:

• On-demand manufacturing of metals (ODMM)• Recycling and Reuse• On-demand Manufacturing of Electronics (ODME)

• Activities funded under Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) include:• Design Database for In-Space Manufacturing• 3D Printing with Regolith Simulant/Polymer Feedstock Blend (RegISS)

• ISS serves as a testbed for evaluating these capabilities (which will eventually support critical systems, habitats, mission logistics, and maintenance on future space missions) in a relevant environment.


Image from Made in Space, Inc. Image from Techshot, Inc.

ODMM will reduce logistics requirements for long-duration missions and potentially enhance crew safety by providing a capability for on-demand 3D printing of metal parts. Systems are intended to be demonstrated on ISS and matured for potential use on Gateway and eventually the lunar surface.

On-Demand Manufacturing of Metals (ODMM)

• Two metal 3D printing processes are in development for demonstration on ISS:• Bound metal deposition

• FabLab system from Techshot, Inc.• Wire+arc additive manufacturing (AM)

• Vulcan hybrid AM system from Made in Space, Inc.


The ReFabricator payload from Tethers Unlimited, Inc. (TUI) is currently on-orbit. ReFabricator is an integrated 3D printer and recycler for ULTEM 9085, a thermoplastic.

Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) developed a thermally reversible material for launch packaging (films and foams) that can be pelletized and extruded into filament feedstock for printing. Image from CRG.

The Recycling and Reuse project element develops materials and recycling technologies with the goal of creating an on-orbit ecosystem for repurposing waste products, such as packaging materials and defective components.

Recycling and Reuse


Development of electronic inks

Development of laser sintering process

nScrypt 3D Multi-Material Printer

Dimatix inkjet thin film printer

Development of photonic sintering process

1st Generation Personal CO2 Monitor

Diagram of AstroSensenext-generation flexible, wireless, multi-sensor printed device for crew health monitoring. Image from Nextflex.

Printed cortisol (stress) sensor. Image from California Institute of Technology.

ODME is developing printed electronics, sensors, and power devices for initial testing and demonstration on ISS. In parallel, deposition processes used with printed electronics (direct write and plasma spray) are being matured for future flight demos.

On-Demand Manufacturing of Electronics (ODME)


Example of manufacturing test artifact

The in-space manufacturing design database is a digital catalog of parts which represent candidates for on-demand manufacturing with ISM platforms. .

In-Space Manufacturing Design Database

• Database currently consists of over 800 parts from Environmental Control and Life Support Systems on ISS, crew tools, and medical kit

• Representative parts to test in-space manufacturing systems in development are chosen from the design database

• Geocent, Inc. developed an initial database architecture for ISM in 2019-2020• Further work performed by NASA and industry will expand capabilities, potentially enabling a

manufacturing execution function for an ISM platform (“just push print”)


Made in Space (MIS) owns and operates the Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF).

In this effort, a previously flown version of AMF will be modified to accommodate a new extruder and print with a feedstock consisting of regolith simulant and low-density polyethylene.

Development Efforts: Column printing with the regolith simulant/polymer blend. Image from Made in Space.

RegISS will be an on-orbit demonstration of 3D printing with a polymer/regolith simulant feedstock blend. It will be the first demonstration of manufacturing with ISRU-derived feedstocks on ISS.

In-Space Manufacturing and In Site Resource Utilization (ISRU): RegISS


ISS is the testbed for ISM.

ISM capabilities demonstrated on ISS are applicable to Gateway and the lunar surface.

“Houston, we have a solution.”

ISM is a destination-agnostic capability and has clear mission benefits beyond low earth orbit where cargo resupply opportunities become more limited. Once tested on ISS, ISM capabilities can be infused into Gateway, lunar surface habitats, a Mars transit vehicle, or Martian surface operations.

What Comes Next?


The Development of Additive Construction as a Terrestrial and Planetary Construction Methods at NASA/MSFC

Michael R. Fiske & Dr. Jennifer E. Edmunson - Jacobs Space Exploration Group (JSEG)NASA/Marshall Space Flight CenterFebruary, 2020


Background• Habitat/Structures was one element of the In-Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFR) Program at MSFC from

2004-2007• ISFR developed technologies for fabrication, repair and recycling of tools, parts, and

habitats/structures construction using in-situ resources• In-situ resources evaluated included Lunar raw materials, recycled spacecraft, human waste,

garbage, etc.

• Approximately 27 different research projects were funded by this effort and included:• Identification and usage of raw materials

• Regolith, rock, lava tubes• Autonomous construction technologies

• Inflatable dome (D. Bini)• Contour Crafting (B. Khoshnevis)

• Processing technologies• Glass melting for structural members, rebar• Foldable/deployable structures


RawRegolith

BlocksDeployable

MetalStructures

GlassProducts

Various combinationsof construction elementslead to significantlydifferent habitat structureconfigurations – tradestudies and characterizationof materials are the key!

Thin Films/Inflatables

ReinforcedConcrete

Habitat Structures – Integrated Concepts


Reinforced Concrete Technologies Evaluated for Lunar Application

Contour Crafting Dome Fabrication

Contour Crafting identified as a prime candidate for an autonomous construction technology on the Lunar surface In 2004.A contractual relationship wasestablished with Dr. Berokh Khoshnevis at USC in 2005. Dr. Khoshnevis’s “2-D” system was shipped to MSFC.USC received “seed funding” for a larger-scale system development.

Lunar ContourCrafting (LCC)

ISFR and ISRU Program Elements managed by MSFC were terminated by VSE which resulted

in ~90% budget cut to Exploration Technology programs at MSFC


ACME and ACES Systems



ACME• Partnership between NASA (MSFC, KSC), USACE, and Contour Crafting Corporation (NR-SAA

with Caterpillar)• Funded by NASA/STMD-GCDP and USACE-ERDC• Based on an earlier collaboration between NASA/MSFC and USC (Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis)

from 2004 to 2007• Additional contributions from the University of Mississippi, University of Arkansas in Little

Rock, East Carolina University, and the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES)

ACME-1 System


ACME-1 System• Completed conversion to “3-D” system, resolved

composition issues, and began programming and printing various simple geometries.

• Experimented with translation rate vs concrete cure time and strength to optimize overall process.


ACME-2 System

Gantry Mobility System (good x, y, z positioning)

Mixer

Pump

Accumulator (allows pump to stay on when nozzle closes for doors/windows)

Hose Nozzle Control System


Evolution from ACME-2 to ACES-3• Focus was on transition from sub-scale to full-scale• Issues included:

• Optimum mobility system (gantry vs truck/boom arm vs robotic arm, etc)

• Hose management• Cleaning• Positional accuracy• Mobility• Assembly/disassembly considerations• Print speed/volumetric flow rate

considerations


ACES-3 System

Dry Good Storage Subsystem,

KSC

Liquid Storage Subsystem,

KSC

ACES-3 Mobility System and Nozzle (MSFC)

• Accumulator• Pump Trolley• Gantry• Hose Management• Nozzle• Electrical & Software

Dry goods & liquid goods

parked on side


ACES-3 System


ACES-3 System


ACES-3 System


ACME Planetary Materials


ACME Materials• Binders studied

• Ordinary Portland Cement• Magnesium oxide-based cements• Sodium silicate (ACME and CIF)• Calcium Sulfo-Aluminate• Geopolymers• Polymers (KSC, Centennial

Challenge Teams)• Additives

• Rheology control• Crack mitigation • Carbon nanotubes• Fiber reinforcement (polyethylene, brass, pulled

molten JSC-1A fibers)• Cast molten JSC-1A rebar reinforcement• Polymers

• Simulants JSC Mars-1A (martian) and JSC-1A (lunar)• Samples of PLA/Basalt, Magnesium Oxysulfate and Calcium Sulfo-Aluminate print materials flown onboard X-

37 flight as part of the METIS-2 (like MISSE) exposure experiment


Planetary Constraints

Environment of deposition is the greatest constraint in the materials we choose for additive construction

Parameter Mars MoonGravity 1/3 that of Earth 1/6 that of EarthPressure at surface 3-10 Torr (4x10-3 to 1x10-2 ATM) 2x10-12 Torr (3x10-15 ATM)Surface Temperatures -89 to -31 Celsius (Viking 1) -178 to 117 Celsius (equator)Radiation(solar wind particles, galactic cosmic rays)

Some protection offered by atmosphere

Some protection offered by Earth’s magnetic field

Surface reactivity Perchlorates (highly oxidizing) Reduced material (nanophase iron, elemental sulfur)

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetfact.html


Compression Test Results


1st Place: SEArch and Clouds AO

Phase 2 winner

NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge is a competition to design and print habitats that could house humans as they live and work in space and here on Earth.

1st PlaceFoster + Partners | Branch Technology

2nd PlacePennsylvania State University

www.nasa.gov/3DPHab

Phase 1: Design CompetitionCompleted Sept. 2015

$40,000 awarded

2nd Place: Gamma

3rd Place: LavaHive

Phase 2: Structural Member Competition

Completed 9/2017 $701,024 awarded

Phase 3: Structural Member Competition Completed: 5/2019

$1,320,000 awarded

1st Place: AI. SpaceFactory

Pennsylvania State University2nd Place


Exploration Commerce

Boots on the Moon by 2024

Lunar Sustainability by 2028

Mars Forward

Investing in the

Growing Space Economy

Strategic Technology Investments

Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII)




GOAL: Develop, deliver, and demonstrate on-demand capabilities to protect astronauts and create infrastructure on the lunar surface via construction of landing pads, habitats, shelters, roadways, berms and blast shields using lunar regolith-based materials.

APPROACH• MMPACT is comprised of 3 interrelated elements

• Olympus – Autonomous Construction System• Construction Feedstock Materials Development• Microwave Sintering Construction Capabilities (MSCC)

• MMPACT technologies will be matured in phases• Phase 1:

• Olympus and Materials Development Elements will design, develop, downselect and demonstrate prototype Materials Deposition Head and the Mobility System

• MSCC will demonstrate microwave manufacturing to TRL 6• Phase 2: (Preliminary Options)

• Initial plan to demonstrate Olympus Materials Deposition Head on small CLPS Lander (circa 2025)• Technology Demonstration of subscale landing pad construction on lunar surface (circa 2027 - 2028)• Microwave construction system integrated with GNC, power, mobility system for flight vehicle system delivery

• MMPACT will evaluate multiple autonomous construction and microwave construction technologies, materials, and construction element forms

• Mature selected technologies, processes, and operations• Demonstrate capabilities in simulated lunar environmental conditions

MMPACT: Moon-to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies


Common Key Functional Requirements Development• Developed individual requirements for Earth-based and Lunar construction with SEArch+• Identified Common Technology Development Interests with SEArch for Earth-based and Lunar

Construction Capabilities (Venn Diagram)• Followed similar approach with ICON and DoD organizations for SBIR Proposal• Results yielded shared set of key functional requirements that would benefit the goals of NASA,

ICON, DoD, and SEArch+• Long-distance communication, monitoring, and control• Increased autonomy/automation of operations• Increased transportability / mass reduction• Expanded environmental range• Design for field reparability• Dust mitigation• Shielding / Ballistic Protection• Job-site Mobility• Off-foundation construction / foundation delivery• Multi-material printing & related control systems• Improved user experience/ease of operation (i.e. reduced training load)• Software Design Platform



MMPACT Interdependencies

41

Communication

Protocol

Excavation

Interface

Lander

Specifications

Power

Site – to – Site

Mobility

Systems

Navigation

Systems

Lander Off-

Loading

Lunar Simulant

Availability

Requirements

for Structures

Regolith

Feedstock

Beneficiation

Regolith

Feedstock Storage

and Provision

Regolith

Composition

and MineralsMMPACT

Interdependencies


MMPACT-Olympus Phase 1 Milestone Schedule

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Architectural Design Study with Bjarke Ingles Group (BIG) ICONArchitectural Design Study with SEArch+ ICONPhase IIB SBIR Schedule of MilestonesFabricate 20' Dia subscale 3d printed landing pad ICONDraft set of Mission Reqirements to inform further decomposition ICONMaterials ID complete NASA MaterialsMobility System & Printhead Trade Study ICONMaterials characterization complete NASA MaterialsEngineering Design Concept Review ICONInitial Prototype of Subsystems, Mobility and Printhead ICONIntegration of Control System with Mobility System ICONDelivery of Printed Samples (beams, sub-scale structures) ICONPrinted materials Testing NASA MaterialsCLPS lander materials evaluation & selection NASA MaterialsTechnical Prototype Demonstration at ICON ICON

TASK TITLE Task Owner

2021 20222020

ICONNASA Construction Feedstock Materials Development

^ "Award" / Kickoff(Sept 1, 2020)


J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J J A S ON D J F MAM J J A S ON D

Re-phase FY21; ContractsSimulant Order & CharacterizationSmall scale sinteringMidscale sintering & characterizationLarge scale sintering (inert & vacuum) Baseline Fabrication ProcessSintering Microwave TuningHorn design & Fabrication Baseline Horn Designs Updated Design & Fab TRL 6 Fab Process Update

Horn testingLunar Ceramic Property Specimen Fab & Characterization TRL6 Fabrication Process BaselineRadiation/EMI CharacterizationFlight Vehicle Concept Design Update Design

Prototype Vehicle Design (power, thermal, mechanical)Prototype Vehicle FabricationPrototype Vehicle Testing TRL6 Thermal Management SystemConcept operations Development Baseline Concept Operations Updated Concept OperationsIn-situ Instrument Development (product V&V)Solar Heating to Sintering Coupling Temp DesignSolar Heating to Sintering Coupling Temp Setup/FabSolar Heating to Sintering Coupling Temp Test Proof of Concept TRL 6Site Preparation Concept, Trades, DesignSite Preparation Concepts Testing (Grading, Compaction, Measure Regolith State, Sorting) Ambient Vacuum Design Reviews

Site Preparation Prototype DesignSite Preparation Prototype Fabrication & AssemblySite Preparation Prototype Testing TRL 6Site Preparation Flight Design

MSCC TASK TITLE

20242020 2021 2022 2023

MMPACT-MSCC Phase 1 Milestone Schedule


Documents

Make It, Don’t Take It: In-Space Manufacturing & Lunar