The increasing demand for CubeSats in various applications has driven the need for innovative manufacturing approaches to reduce its mass, cost, and production time, without compromising structural strength. Additive Manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has emerged as a transformative solution, enabling the fabrication of non-conventional, lightweight, and highly customized satellite structures. A key aspect of this research is to employ Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), an advanced AM process, to produce a lightweight primary structure of CubeSats, demonstrating its potential for space applications. This study investigates the overall quality and structural integrity of a topology-optimized 3U nanosatellite structure, with envelope dimensions 100 x 100 x 340.5 mm, fabricated using DMLS. Verification involved a multi-faceted approach, including: (1) finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate structural behavior under static and dynamic loads, comparing results with design criteria; (2) hammer impact testing to experimentally determine modal frequencies and mode shapes, providing initial validation of the dynamic characteristics; (3) vibration testing to simulate launch conditions, validating FEA predictions; and (4) dimensional accuracy and surface roughness analysis to evaluate the DMLS manufacturing process. The resulting design and associated test data will serve as a valuable reference for the potential of additive manufacturing to enable the production of complex, optimized structures for space missions, contributing to reduced launch costs and enhanced mission capabilities.

This study is part of the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) on 29 September-03 October 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

More information here.