The Bantam engine family is being adapted from the proven design of the Atlas Sustainer engine to take full advantage of 3D printing capabilities. These engines, which would normally be composed of more than 100 parts, are built from only three 3D printed major components: the injector assembly, the combustion chamber; and a monolithic throat and nozzle section.
Demonstrating the ability to produce a predominantly 3D printed engine is key to reducing the cost of future rocket propulsion systems. On the 5,000-pound-thrust “Baby Bantam” engine, Aerojet Rocketdyne, a segment of L3Harris Technologies, reduced total design and manufacturing time from more than a year – typical for engines of this size — to just a couple of months. Utilizing 3D printing on this program reduced the cost by approximately 65 percent compared to using conventional manufacturing methods.
The Bantam family of engines produces thrust ranging from 5,000 up to 30,000 pounds and can be adapted to use various fuels including kerosene, ethanol, methane and storable propellants.
Oct. 17, 2014 - NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne successfully hot-fire tests an advanced additive manufactured rocket engine: Injector/Thrust Chamber Assembly.
