The Milestone
The first American lunar lander to soft land on the moon since Apollo 17 (Dec. 7, 1972) will be Astrobotic with assistance from North American 3D Printer Manufacturer AON3D.
Hundreds of mission-critical parts and personal payloads known as "MoonBoxes" will be carried aboard and will be the first 3D-printed components to successfully touch down on the moon.
The Technology
A commercial 3D printer for producing durable, effective parts. The AON M2+ has the largest actively heated build volume in its class, enabling unrestricted access to countless applications and materials, such as PEEK, PEKK, and ULTEMTM.
Astrobotic Peregrine Lander
Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission One (PM1) is scheduled to touch down on the moon in 2022 with the goal of delivering commercial payloads to the lunar surface. The lander will launch atop the Vulcan Centaur rocket of United Launch Alliance (ULA), propelled by two BE-4 engines made by Blue Origin, another AON3D client.
The Part
Prototypes
Full-scale Avionics boxes, relays, bus bars, connectors, and other mockups were printed internally, reducing lead times by weeks and lowering the cost per part by an order of magnitude.
Electrical System Components
As hundreds of fittings and brackets take the place of metal parts, the integrity of the avionics and electrical systems is guaranteed while the vehicle's mass is reduced, design freedom is allowed, and production is sped up. Every command and data handling for the lander is handled by Peregrine's avionics.
MoonBoxes
Two newly created cryptocurrencies will be among the world's first commercial payloads sent to the surface of the Moon, and they will be contained in 3D printed boxes composed of lightweight materials.
"The moon landing in 1969 symbolized the pinnacle of human technological achievement. With the use of 3D printing, it was able to return 52 years later, demonstrating its readiness to transform manufacturing beyond prototyping.”
– Kevin Han, CEO, AON3D
For more information on AON3D solution, please contact your local Dynagraph representative.
