Auto Evolution By: Daniel Patrascu 5/10/2023
We average Joes might bask in the knowledge that our species is fairly advanced from a technological standpoint, and more than able to study the space surrounding our planet. But engineers working in the space industry know that's far from being true, and they keep working around the clock to come up with the technologies that will really open up the skies for us.
This story, however, is not about technology per se, but about an important constituent that goes into one. It's about a new type of copper alloy that was recently tested and proved to have properties that just might give rocket engines a lot more capabilities.
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But we're not here to discuss Terran. We're here instead to have a look at the fancy new copper alloy used in its nine engines. Called Aeron, they are capable of developing 207,000 lbf of thrust. For the Terran 1 test flight, some of their components were 3D printed using an alloy known as GRCop.
GRCop is in fact a blend of copper, chromium, and niobium. It was used to put together the rocket engines' combustion chambers, and its use should in theory have great effects on the repeated firing and reusability of such pieces of hardware.
First of all, the alloy can withstand very high temperatures, as high as 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit (3,300 degrees Celsius). That's 40 percent hotter than what other copper alloys can withstand, and it also provides high thermal conductivity and creep resistance.
More:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/world-s-first-3d-printed-rocket-flew-with-new-copper-alloy-engines-details-inside-214768.html
