Raven Space Systems Secures Agreements with NASA and Air Force for 3D-Printed Aerospace Components

Raven Space Systems, an additive-manufacturing startup, has secured agreements with NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to advance its patented microwave-assisted deposition (MAD) process. The company has also been awarded over $4 million in contracts from the Air Force, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Raven's MAD technology enables scalable deposition-based printing of thermoset ceramics and composite materials by hardening them during the printing process using microwaves. This allows for the creation of structures that were previously difficult to manufacture. Raven is developing 3D-printed aeroshells for hypersonic flight testing under a $1.8 million AFRL contract and plans to produce solid rocket motor nozzles and thermal protection systems. Working with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the AFRL Rocket Propulsion Division, Raven will test and characterize printed solid rocket motor parts. The company aims to begin selling parts produced in an industrial-scale printer by May, following a $2 million pre-seed investment round.