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Jul 13, 2018

Giant Satellite Fuel Tank Sets New Record for 3D Printed Space Parts

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, energy, satellites

DENVER, July 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has embraced a 3D printed titanium dome for satellite fuel tanks so big you can’t even put your arms around it. The 46-inch- (1.16-meter-) diameter vessel completed final rounds of quality testing this month, ending a multi-year development program to create giant, high-pressure tanks that carry fuel on board satellites.

A Lockheed Martin engineer inspects one of the 3D printed dome prototypes at the company's space facility in Denver. The final dome measures 46 inches in diameter, large enough to fit 74.4 gallons of liquid.

The titanium tank consists of three parts welded together: two 3D printed domes that serve as caps, plus a variable-length, traditionally-manufactured titanium cylinder that forms the body.

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