Rocket lab is revolutionizing rocket development with its latest breakthrough, the Neutron medium-lift rocket, which is simply the largest composite rocket ever built and this technological masterpiece is taking shape much more efficiently thanks to a manufacturing technology innovative.
Initially building a rocket of this magnitude required a monumental task, hundreds of layers of carbon fiber had to be placed manually on a mold, a process that took several weeks and involved a large and highly trained team, but with the introduction of the machine Rocket lab's automated fiber placement system, this has completely changed.
Now all this work can be done in just one day, so a task that used to take entire weeks is now completed in just 24 hours. Thanks to this technological machine that is basically a kind of giant 3D printer that is 12 m high and weighs an impressive 75 tons, but instead of printing plastic metal this machine spits out carbon fibers with impressive precision, applying the layers of carbon fiber in multiple directions ensuring that each piece of the rocket has the necessary rigidity and strength to withstand the extreme conditions of space.
And the machine is capable of moving laterally, up to 30 meters, which means it can also work on the largest parts, such as the 28 m long interstage and the neutron rocket cowling, in addition to building these enormous structures with a Surgical precision, the AFP fiber placement machine is also responsible for manufacturing the first stage which has a diameter of 7 m and the second stage tank with 5 m diameter.
During the process, the machine not only deposits the layers of Carbon fiber, but also has an automated inspection system that verifies possible defects or imperfections in real time. If something is not correct, the machine automatically stops and alerts the human operator before to continue with the next layer, ensuring impeccable quality in each phase of construction.
While companies like SpaceX mainly use stainless steel in their rockets, a material that is remarkably heat-resistant and has a good cost-benefit ratio, and Boeing opts for aluminum alloys in models like the Starliner; Rocket Lab believes that carbon composites offer the ideal combination of lightness and structural strength for the neutron, as well as facilitating the reuse of these enormous space machines.
The company has big plans for the future of the neutron, according to information from Rocket Lab itself, the first launch of this medium-load rocket is scheduled for 2025.
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