Raven Space Systems, an additive-manufacturing startup based in Kansas City, Missouri, has achieved significant milestones by securing contracts with NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Rocket Propulsion Division. These agreements, along with additional contracts from the Air Force and the National Science Foundation, total over $4 million. The company's patented microwave-assisted deposition (MAD) process is at the heart of these projects, enabling advancements in aerospace and defense product development.
“We’re on a mission to transform how we make composite materials,” stated Black Herren, Raven CEO and co-founder. “Essentially, we’re able to unlock scalable deposition-based printing of commercial-off-the-shelf thermosets, ceramics and composite materials for the first time by hardening the materials, as we print, using microwaves.” A prime example of their work involves developing 3D-printed aeroshells for hypersonic flight testing, a project funded by a $1.8-million AFRL Small Business Technology Transfer contract.
Raven's MAD process utilizes direct ink write (DIW) printing, described by Herren as “the most versatile 3D-printing technology that no one’s heard of.” He further explained, “DIW has been stuck in the lab, making tiny samples, for a couple decades. We’re able to print big things for the first time by using the microwaves in our process.” The company's initial focus is on producing solid rocket motor nozzles and thermal protection systems. Herren noted, “A lot of companies are 3D printing solid rocket motor cases and fuel, but no one is doing nozzles and insulation. That’s where we’ve identified a beachhead.”
Collaboration with experts at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the AFRL Rocket Propulsion Division, both through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, will be crucial in testing and characterizing the printed solid rocket motor parts. “We’re focused on developing the most efficient production line by integrating all the processes, from raw materials to end-use parts,” Herren emphasized. Following the construction of printer prototypes, Raven plans to commence sales of parts this year, leveraging an industrial-scale printer boasting a cubic meter build volume. The company recently secured $2 million in pre-seed funding, led by Backswing Ventures, with participation from 46 Venture Capital, Mana Ventures, What If Ventures, and Cape Fear Ventures.
Looking ahead, Herren envisions applying the MAD process to a wider range of applications, stating that it could be used for “virtually every component of solid rocket motors” as well as satellites, autonomous drones, and attritable aircraft.