Aerojet Rocketdyne has successfully completed initial testing of a nearly flight-weight and production-ready configuration of its next-generation RL10C-X upper-stage rocket engine that contains major components produced with the company’s industry-leading 3-D printing technology. The successful series of tests confirmed that the 3-D printed components performed as expected when integrated into a complete, full-scale engine system.
3-D printing will reduce lead time by 35-50% and overall engine cost by 25-35%.
The components can withstand high pressures and temperature gradients that range from -423°F to more than 5,000°F.
In 2018, ULA selected Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine over the Aerodyne Rocketjet AR1 engine. Aerojet says it’s committed to completing development of the engine even though ULA is not a customer.
Aerodyne is looking for a partner to develop a medium rocket using the AR1 engine.
SOURCES- Aerodyne
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The RL-10 will still be used for future Vulcan upper stages. Nothing in the article about 3D printing the AR1, though it seems obvious that at least some elements will be 3D printed.
As far as current progress goes, though, it’s pretty slow. Only the injector and thrust chamber are 3D-printed, and then assembled as part of the whole engine. They are far from 3D-printing an entire engine, which is what I think is needed to bring down the costs.