Canberra-based advanced manufacturing start-up and iLAuNCH Trailblazer industry partner, New Frontier Technologies Pty Ltd, has developed a carbon-fibre composite rocket body successfully tested to launch requirements. A structurally efficient composite ortho-grid was designed for additive manufacture using robotic, laser-assisted automated fibre placement (AFP). Gridded structures save weight and use minimal material. New Frontier Technologies used its novel 3D imaging and digital twining capability to ensure the quality of the structure, and to optimise the design and AFP manufacturing process parameters to meet mechanical performance requirements for strength, stiffness and buckling resistance.
The gridded composite sounding rocket interstage section successfully ran to the required qualification vibration level without damage. The interstage section, designed to interface with a Rexus sounding rocket, was tested to the NASA Sounding Rocket random input vibration profile with the duration increase from 10 to 50 seconds as specified by the DLR Mobile Rocket Base (Moraba). The vibration testing was conducted on the shaker at the National Space Testing Facility at Mt. Stromlo in Canberra.
“We have demonstrated Australian capability to develop and produce high-performance rocket body structures for the Space sector”, said the CEO, Director and co-Founder of New Frontier Technologies (NFT), Dr Paul Compston. “Significantly, we manufacture with space-grade carbon-fibre thermoplastic using an additive manufacturing process, AFP, that is at least an order of magnitude quicker than traditional processes. The composite is consolidated in-situ without the need for time-consuming, expensive, and energy-intensive thermal cure in an oven or autoclave. Hence, we can offer unsurpassed quality and productivity for manufacture of rocket body structures that can meet launch provider requirements and support the growth of local launch capability.”
NFT manufacturing development also a win for satellites and ground-based telescopes
“New Frontier Technologies are also applying the same innovative design for additive manufacture approach and digital twining capability used to develop the rocket body to solve persistent problems in other space-related applications” said Compston. “We can design composite structures using carbonfibre/PEEK thermoplastic (NASA and ESA accepted for outgassing behaviour) for zero or tailored coeGicient thermal expansion (CTE) behaviour. These structures will remain dimensionally stable in extreme temperature environments, and we are already developing composite components and structures to replace the metal counterparts that are usually used in precision instrumentation in satellites and ground-based telescopes.”
For more information on the advanced composites manufacturing capability of New Frontier Technologies go to www.newfrontiertech.com.au or contact paul.compston@newfrontiertech.com.au
