Title:

Application and Feasibility of 3D-Printed Materials in CUBESAT Construction

Plastics are an important material that are commonly utilized in in spacecraft designs if suitable airtight construction is used. This study aims to determine the feasibility and application of plastics in low-pressure environments such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in small cube satellites, where airtight builds may not be possible. The plastics studied include ABS, HDPE, PTFE, and Polystyrene, all of which can be manufactured into chassis through FDM – 3D printing or injection molding method and have suitable insulation characteristics. Abaqus simulation software was used to build a low-pressure environment, that would mimic the effects the pressure in low-earth orbit would have on a plastic chassis. Utilizing plastics in cube satellites in a larger capacity would be extremely beneficial in order to reduce weight, mass, electrical interference, and provide faster prototyping as well a new method of producing parts – 3D printing.

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