This course covers the fundamentals of the rapidly developing field of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in Space, on the Moon and Mars. It will consider two basic feedstock approaches for Off-Earth production: (i) AM with Earth-based raw materials in Space and (ii) Off-Earth sourced feedstocks from various celestial bodies (the Moon, Mars, and Asteroids) - an approach that is called Space Resource Utilization (SRU). Major sections of the course will focus on the SRU feedstock approach, discussing specifically regolith (and water), including a summary of their genesis, availability and relevant properties for AM. After briefly introducing/reiterating the seven ISO/ASTM AM process categories, coursework will discuss the impact of gravity, vacuum/low pressure, and temperature on Off-Earth AM in Space, as well as introduce various mitigation approaches to overcome such challenges. The module covers the application of raw regolith in AM, with an emphasis on ceramic AM techniques. Additionally, the course reviews current AM techniques using regolith simulants, as reported in the literature. Scientific aspects of powder technology and colloidal science for regolith processing are introduced, along with methods for refining SRU feedstocks. Finally, the course explores future concepts and advanced techniques for AM using highly processed SRU feedstocks.
- Trainer/in: David Karl
- Trainer/in: Ruben David Lennart Prause