Innovations in Space Manufacturing Techniques

DARPA Advances In-Orbit Space Construction with NOM4D Program A Major Leap Toward Autonomous Space Manufacturing The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has officially entered the testing phase of its NOM4D (Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design) program, marking a significant step toward building large-scale structures in space. This transition from lab-based experiments to small-scale orbital demonstrations signals a breakthrough in autonomous space construction. The NOM4D initiative, launched in 2022, is designed to overcome one of the biggest limitations in space infrastructure development—the size and weight constraints of rocket cargo fairings. Instead of launching pre-assembled or pre-folded structures, the program aims to: • Stow lightweight raw materials aboard rockets. • Assemble structures in space using autonomous robotic systems. • Construct larger, more efficient orbital platforms, beyond what current launch systems allow. A New Era of Space Expansion The NOM4D program is part of a broader shift in space technology, paving the way for: • Frequent orbital launches and lunar missions by 2030. • On-orbit refueling capabilities to extend spacecraft missions. • Autonomous robots assembling space stations and other critical infrastructure. This could radically reduce the cost and complexity of sending large structures into orbit, enabling more ambitious space missions, larger satellites, and permanent deep-space habitats. Why This Matters With private industry and government agencies accelerating space development, in-orbit construction could revolutionize: • Military and defense applications, allowing for rapid deployment of space assets. • Commercial space stations, supporting research, manufacturing, and tourism. • Lunar and Mars colonization, where raw materials could be extracted and assembled into habitable structures. The Future of Space Infrastructure By transitioning to real-world testing, DARPA is bringing us closer to a future where spacecraft, satellites, and even space habitats are built and expanded directly in orbit. The NOM4D program represents a critical step toward making large-scale space manufacturing a reality—one that could reshape how humanity builds in space for decades to come.

After five years of work, I’m excited to finally share our new paper on a new method for upcycling titanium-based scrap material into a new useable alloy through a method we call compositional steering. This work showcases a wonderful ongoing relationship between the Office and Naval Research (ONR) and NASA JPL on technology that has dual-use for both the Navy and NASA. As we try to establish a sustainable presence in space, NASA will need technologies that can take feedstock in various forms (mostly Ti and Al, but possibly contaminated with regolith), and convert them into new alloys with useable properties. Similarly, the Navy needs to start preparing for a world where pure metals, like titanium, are scarce and new methods are needed to create unmanned submersibles from waste streams, or to perform in-theatre repairs. In this work, me and my co-authors develop a method for compositional steering and then apply it to a specific use-case of bulk metallic glass. We start with a scrap Ti alloy that was contaminated with oxygen and carbon during manufacturing and was off-composition and deemed scrap. By studying phase diagrams and the literature, we experimentally demonstrate that we can add only 25% mass of new elements strategically and convert the scrap material into a new bulk glass former that can be produced into parts up to 3 mm thick. The method we demonstrate has broad applications when coupled with machine learning and computational materials science, where unknown compositions of scrap materials can be steered towards the closest “useable” alloy with the least amount of additives. We further demonstrated our technique by taking scrap turnings of titanium, steel and aluminum from the JPL machine shop garbage cans and remelting into alloys with unique properties, such as a beta titanium alloy and a bulk metallic glass. We are looking forward to partnering with industry and the computational materials science community to start developing new methods for sustainable metallurgy by taking advantage of waste streams, like turnings or used additive manufacturing powder. My collaborators here are the incredible Punnathat Bordeenithikasem, Miguel de Brito Costa, Melanie Buziak, Thomas Freeman, and Anthony Botros, all working in the JPL metallurgy lab funded by ONR. With so much turmoil happening right now with government funding, I wanted to highlight what I consider to be a critical relationship between a national lab and a military funding organization on issues of importance to national security. These are great relationships that should be fostered. Our work was highlighted as an Editor’s Choice and will appear later in a special issue of sustainable metallurgy. We are grateful to ONR for ongoing funding in this area. https://lnkd.in/gmxeFiXT

China’s Plan to 3D-Print Bricks on the Moon Using Lunar Soil by 2028 Imagine building homes—not on Earth, but on the Moon—with bricks made from lunar soil. That’s exactly what China is planning with its ambitious Chang’e 8 mission, set to launch in 2028. As part of its roadmap for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), China is taking a bold step toward in-situ resource utilization—using what’s already available on the Moon rather than transporting materials from Earth. The cost savings and sustainability implications of this approach are enormous. Here’s how it works: • A high-tech system aboard Chang’e 8 will concentrate sunlight via fiber optics to heat lunar soil to 1400–1500°C (2552–2732°F). • This molten soil will then be 3D-printed into bricks—paving the way for future moon infrastructure. If successful, this could redefine how humanity thinks about space exploration, construction, and even habitation beyond Earth. This isn’t just a leap for China—it’s a leap for all of us watching the next chapter of human innovation unfold. What are your thoughts on building with moon dust? #SpaceInnovation #LunarExploration #3DPrinting #ChangE8 #ChinaSpace #InSituResourceUtilization #FutureOfConstruction #MoonBase #TechForTomorrow

The first metal 3D part ever created on orbit has landed on Earth. The sample was produced in ESA’s Metal 3D Printer on the International Space Station. Now, it’s on Earth for the first time, at ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands (ESTEC). The printer, developed by Airbus and its partners, was installed in the Columbus module by ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen during his Huginn mission in January 2024. In June, the facility succeeding in making its first print, a curvy line in the shape of an 'S’. In summer, the printer produced its first full sample, and then a second sample in December. This first sample will now be tested in the Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory at ESTEC and compared to samples printed on Earth to understand how microgravity affects the printing process. The second sample will be handed over to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). While astronauts have operated plastic 3D printers on the International Space Station before, this marks the first successful metal printing on orbit. As missions venture farther from Earth, in-space manufacturing will be crucial for self-sufficiency, allowing astronauts to manufacture essential parts, repair equipment and create tools on demand, without relying on costly resupply missions. #ISS #ESA #Space #3DPrinter