3D-Printed Rocket Turbopump Successfully Tested
One of the most complex, 3D-printed rocket engine parts ever made - a turbopump - was successfully tested with liquid hydrogen propellant at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. During the test, the pump's turbine spins at more than 90,000 revolutions per minute - 9.5 times fasters than a Formula One race car. These tests, along with manufacturing and testing of injectors and other rocket engine parts, are paving the way for advancements in 3D printing of complex rocket engines and more efficient production of future spacecraft.