Multi-Materials Additive-Manufacturing for Platform-Integrated Avionics

Robust multi-material direct print additive-manufacturing and custom nanocomposite materials will be demonstrated for the fabrication of conformal and structurally-integrated wireless RF sensors, antennas, feeds, and transmission lines made directly into functional structural elements. The multi-functional devices will be shown to enable new avionic architectures and capabilities that expand mission performance while decreasing the size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) and cost of the resulting spacecraft. After developing mission-oriented performance specifications and operational requirements, design trade studies will be conducted using existing design and optimization tools. Structurally integrated sensors and antennas will be shown to have performance at or above that of conventional antennas. Proof of concept additive manufactured multi-functional devices will be fabricated and characterized.