This week, European engineers hot-fire tested a fully 3D-printed thrust chamber that could one day power the upper stages for rockets. The chamber has just three parts, and was constructed using additive layer manufacturing, another name for 3D printing.

 .

This hot-fire test lasted 30 seconds and was carried out on May 26, 2020 at the DLR German Aerospace Center’s Lampoldshausen testing facility. The European Space Agency said that additional tests are planned for next week. This full-scale demonstrator of a thrust chamber for an upper-stage rocket motor, called ETID or Expander-cycle Technology Integrated Demonstrator, is 3-D printed.

 .

The production and tests of these rocket engine components has been performed within ESA’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme, and over the past year, at least three configurations of combustion chamber geometries and designs have been tested. The chambers are full-scale size, and have a 3D-printed copper liner with integrated cooling […]

Click here to view original web page at www.universetoday.com