America Makes publishes roadmap for additive manufacturing in space propulsion

America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, has published a new report titled Advancing AM for Space Propulsion: A Roadmap to Strengthening U.S. Capabilities. The roadmap looks at how 3D printing can better support propulsion systems and lays out a phased plan for moving from early success to qualified, repeatable production.

A roadmap shaped by industry input

The report draws on years of collaboration across more than 50 organizations, multiple federal agencies, and dozens of industry experts. Brandon Ribic, technology director at America Makes, said the process brought a broader view of the current state of the space propulsion supply chain and manufacturing technology. While the focus is propulsion, the institute notes that the findings also relate to areas such as munitions, hypersonics, naval applications, aerospace, nuclear power generation, and oil and gas.

Three phases toward industrial use

America Makes organized the plan into three stages. Phase one focuses on building the foundation, including robust materials databases, supply chain analysis, and domestic access to quality feedstock. Phase two targets scalable production through automation, advanced design, and new joining technologies. Phase three aims for industrialization, where qualified materials and additive manufacturing processes are widely available and data is accessible.

Why propulsion remains a hard problem

Space propulsion parts operate under extreme thermal, mechanical, and dynamic conditions, which makes repeatable performance and qualification essential. The report notes progress since 2016 in printed heat exchangers, combustors, nozzles, and other nonstructural components, but it also points to persistent gaps in materials data, inspection capabilities, and supply chain scalability. The roadmap frames those gaps as the work still needed to move from prototype success to full-rate production.

Ribic described the document as a call to action rather than a final solution, with the goal of helping industry, agencies, and workforce leaders align priorities and investment. America Makes is managed by NCDMM for the Air Force Research Laboratory.