A Major Milestone: DoD Launches Rocket with 3D Printed Motor

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) is no stranger to additive manufacturing. They have used AM to produce everything from hypersonic weapons to 3D printed barracks, and just this October, they awarded $4.5 million to ceramics 3D printing development. Now, with a new program called TACTILE (the Tactical Launch Effort program), they have been addressing the rising demand for low-cost, long-range suborbital energetics that can be rapidly produced. The Defense Innovation Unit (DUI), a unit within the DoD, launched the program, which aims to leverage advancements in dual-use commercial technologies for suborbital missions and ballistic targets by using additive manufacturing.

Unlike orbital spaceflight, when a spacecraft stably circles the earth at least once, suborbital spaceflight is when a spacecraft goes into space without completing an orbital revolution. Instead, the spacecraft is carried back to Earth, because it does not have enough velocity to escape into orbit. Why are suborbital spaceflights useful? They can be optimal for experimentation in low-gravity environments, testing spaceflight technology and of course, space rides for tourists.

A rocket from X-Bow Systems (Photo credits: X-Bow Systems)

One of the primary challenges of expanding suborbital launch capabilities is moving beyond reliance on liquid and cryogenic rocket fuels. These fuels produce large amounts of energy but require complex infrastructure and are costly to handle. Additionally, their volatility poses safety risks. That’s why the TACTILE program is turning to solid propellants created through advanced manufacturing.