Sweden-based RUAG Space has teamed up with Altair of the US and EOS of Germany to produce a 3D printed antenna support for an Earth Observation (EO) satellite. The EO satellite is a successor to the Sentinel-1 radar satellite, and using advanced technology the newly created support is one-half the weight of that used on the Sentinel-1, and possesses better rigidity. The antenna support structure was designed using Altair's software, then EOS printed the finished component via a powder-bed laser sintering machine. The printed piece, at 40cm in length, is the largest known object ever 3D printed via a powder-bed laser sintering system. The future is bright for 3D printing in satellite applications, as one day entire satellite sections (reflectors, heating pipes, harnesses, etc.) may be printed out, saving the aerospace industry money and need for raw materials. Check out more details in the full article: http://3dprint.com/21355/ruag-3d-print-satellite/ ‎


Below is a picture of a 3D printed antenna support: