Manufacturing on the Moon

Programme

Keynote;  John Love, Science integration in the Research Office of the International Space Station (ISS) Program at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas

Microgravity Biomanufacturing and Production of Advanced Materials on the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is an extensive orbiting research laboratory advancing science and technology in a wide range of disciplines.  Its near-weightlessness environment offers a unique platform for studies that cannot be performed on Earth.  In-space research onboard ISS in the fields of tissue engineering, biomanufacturing, and advanced materials production has applications that benefit humanity, enable development of a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) economy, and serve national priorities such as the Cancer Moonshot initiative.

Competition winner:  María Mitzi Abigail González Reynoso

Title: Advancing Steel Production in Space: Overcoming Residual Stresses for Enhanced Structural Integrity and Societal Benefits

This talk will give an introduction to tjhe dissertation and the elements that could be improved from space manufacturing from the speakers own research.

Synopsis:  This research explores the potential of manufacturing welded steel structures, specifically Square/Rectangular Hollow Section (SHS/RHS) columns, in space to overcome residual stress issues faced on Earth. The unique microgravity environment in space can significantly reduce residual stresses, enhancing structural performance and material properties. Space manufacturing also allows for the construction of large, complex structures without Earth’s gravity constraints, fostering economic growth, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability.

However, several challenges must be addressed, including substantial investments, technical hurdles, and logistics. Key technologies such as additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, and material science are crucial for successful space manufacturing. These technologies enable the production of high-performance materials and sustainable space infrastructure, ultimately benefiting society through improved structural designs and new market opportunities.

Speaker 2:  Matthew Deans

Title:  NextSpace Testrig – Certification of In-Space Manufactured materials & processes for an enhanced space segment

Synopsis:  The space sector supports our modern economy with examples spanning from GPS, banking systems, food security, and weather forecasting, but traditional manufacturing limits advancements that could be offered by in-space manufacturing. In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) allows for larger, more efficient components made in space for the same or lower cost. The NextSpace TestRig (NSTR) project, led by the University of Glasgow and funded by the UK Space Agency, tests materials in extreme space conditions to ensure ISM reliability and pave the way for a new certification process that ensures ISM is not a major source of new space debris. This research fosters innovation and reinforces the space sector's crucial role in the global economy.

Speaker 3:  Abdullah All Mamun Anik

Title:  Process Optimization Based Artificial Manufacturing Twin for Space Manufacturing

Synopsis:  Virtual twins are expected to grow progressively more beneficial during the coming century. Organizations may replicate and test operations in a virtual environment by including an electronic twin into commercial or production workflows in space. By engaging with the framework, people can perform adjustments and discover the way it works. "Process Optimization Based Artificial Manufacturing Twin" model will automate and simulate the functioning features of goods. Those using it will eventually be enabled to completely engulf each other in manufacturing computational methods that include virtual counterpart aptitudes. The development of this technology would help with connectivity and assessment throughout manufacturing industries in space including as operation planning, manufacturing, emancipation, spaceship inspection and authentication, and operation administration. Health and safety is one of the most important subjects nowadays; everything must be kept under supervision. Artificial identical twin simulations and full digitalization of every appliance would make it possible astronauts, explorers, and scientists to simulate an unlimited number of events they might come across on their expedition towards the unknown by using digital verge. Due to its ability to produce products in space with previously unheard-of precision and productivity, the creation of digital twins is revolutionizing the industrial sector. Digital twins have become an essential tool for overcoming the distinction within real and internet connected worlds in space as well as additional domains as industry embrace modernization more and more. This tangible reality is produced by combining sophisticated computational algorithms, devices such as sensors, and real time information. This technology greatly improves the possibilities of advanced manufacturing and machining in space by enabling continuous monitoring, modelling, and effective optimization of manufacturing procedures in space. It will transform the engineering, production, and maintenance of assets in the space sector as well as assure good quality products with amazing precision by generating an ever-changing, an instant computerized equivalent of a physical instrument from the remote zone without any human intervention. This study examines the aspects influencing the precision and efficacy of digital twin models, such as data quality, model complexity, model validation, system modifications, and interaction with other systems.