Lockheed Martin Expands 3D Printing of Parts for Upcoming Space Projects
BETHESDA, MD—Lockheed Martin is extending its use of MakerBot 3D printers to produce parts and designs for upcoming space projects, including NASA's Artemis program. For one project, being done in alliance with General Motors, Lockheed Martin is developing a new fully autonomous lunar rover that could be used for Artemis. The project pays homage to the original Apollo rover, which GM was also involved in its development.
Some elements of the rover’s autonomy system are being designed and developed at Lockheed’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto, CA.
The latest addition to the ATC’s 3D printing lab is the MakerBot METHOD X 3D printing platform. With METHOD X, the team can print parts in materials like Nylon Carbon Fiber and ABS. Also, its heated chamber ensures that the parts are dimensionally accurate without the variable warping that comes with a typical desktop 3D printer.