TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SPACECRAFT RESTORATION USING THE ADDITIVE ELECTRON-BEAM DEPOSITION METHOD
Heading:
| Ternovyi, YH, 1Piskun, NV, 1Zakorko, VO, Fedorchuk, VYE, 1Shulym, VF, 1Hlushak, SO, Palamarchuk, TY, Fedchenko, VV 1E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Space Sci. & Technol. 2026, 32 ;(2):081-098 |
| https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2026.02.081 |
| Publication Language: Українська |
Abstract: Th e article considers the technological features of restoring structural elements of spacecraft using the Electron Beam Additive
Manufacturing (EBAM) method, which belongs to the Directed Energy Deposition (DED) class of technologies. Th e method involves feeding a fi ller wire (wire-feed) under deep-vacuum conditions that are naturally compatible with the environment of outer space. The relevance of repair and refurbishment operations in orbit and during the operation of future lunar infrastructures is
demonstrated, considering the infl uence of micrometeoroids and orbital debris, radiation, thermal cycling, and mechanical loads. Particular attention is given to the advantages of electron-beam deposition, which is inherently suited to vacuum environments and enables precise, layer-by-layer formation of metallic structures. Experimental studies were carried out using upgraded equipment of the E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NAS of Ukraine, including the OB-1469 vacuum test facility, the PL-104 electron-beam gun equipped with a periodic beam defl ection system, and a wire-feeding mechanism for fi ller wire made of aluminum alloy 5456. Th e infl uence of various types and frequencies of electron-beam scanning trajectories on the geometry and quality of the deposited beads was investigated. Optimal technological parameters were determined for the formation of single- and multi-layer structures, providing stable deposition, uniform bead geometry, and a minimal heat-aff ected zone. Th e obtained results confi rm the feasibility and prospects of electron-beam additive technologies for in-situ restoration and manufacturing of spacecraft components directly in outer space. |
| Keywords: space environment; spacecraft ; additive electron-beam deposition; structural restoration; microgravity; aluminum alloys; periodic beam defl ection; fi ller wire; macro- and microstructures; porosity; chemical composition |
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2. Frazier W. E. (2014). Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Review. J. Materials Engineering and Performance, 23(6), 1917-1928.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-014-0958-z
3. Gabriel J. L., Overby K. D., Steiner M. J., Clingenpeel E. R., Budig J. L., Broshkevitch A. T., Anderson M. L. (2022). On-Orbit Additive Manufacturing for MMOD Protection. Proc. AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum (San Diego, CA, 3-7 January).
https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-1278
4. Gibson I., Rosen D., Stucker B. (2021). Additive Manufacturing Technologies. 3rd edn. Cham: Springer. Huff K. (2025). Taking nuclear energy to the Moon. Science, 387(6735), 876-878. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aeb6479
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aeb6479
5. Hyde J. L., Christiansen E. L., Lear D. M. (2019). Observations of MMOD Impact Damage to the ISS.
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/orbitaldebris2019/orbital2019paper/pdf... (Last accessed: 27 February 2026).
6. Isachenkov M. V., Chugunov S. S., Akhatov I. S., Shishkovsky I. V. (2021). Regolith-based additive manufacturing for sustainable development of lunar infrastructure - An overview. Acta Astronautica, 180, 650-678.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.01.005
7, Ishchenko A. Ya., Labur T. M. (2013). Svarka sovremennykh konstruktsiy iz alyuminievykh splavov. Kyiv: Naukova Dumka.
8. Korzhik V. N., Khaskin V. Yu., Grinyuk A. A., Tkachuk V. I., Peleshenko S. I., Korotenko V. V., Babich A. A. 3D printing of metallic volumetric parts of complex shape based on welding plasma-arc technologies (Review). Automatic Welding, № 6, 127-134.
https://doi.org/10.15407/as2016.06.20
9. Korzhyk V. M., et al. (2023). Rozrobka plazmovo-duhovykh tekhnolohii dlia adytyvnoho vyhotovlennia metalevykh komponentiv. Automatic Welding, № 12, 3-18.
10. Korzhyk V. M., et al. (2024). Hibrydne lazerno-plazmove zvariuvannia ta adytyvne vyhotovlennia skladnykh obiemnykh metalevykh detalei. Automatic Welding, № 1, 13-21.
11.Kumar A., Rossi F., Yamamoto T. (2022). A Coaxial Wire-Feed Additive Manufacturing Process for Metal Components in Space Applications. J. Materials Engineering and Performance, 31(9), 6994-7008.
12. Lahodzinskyi I. M. (2024). Additive arc deposition of spatial products using steel and alloy fi ller wires: PhD thesis. Kyiv: E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NAS of Ukraine.
13. Lobanov L. M., Lankin Yu. N., Ternovyi Y. H., Piskun N. V., Glushak S. O., Solovyov V. G., Semikin V. F., Fedorchuk V. E., Statkevich I. I. (2024). Elementy tekhnolohii elektronno-promenovoho zvariuvannia dlia kosmichnykh konstruktsii. Kosmichna Nauka i Tekhnolohiia, 30(2), 40-53.
https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2024.02.040
14. Matviichuk V.V., et al. (2017). Zastosuvannia adytyvnykh elektronno-promenovykh tekhnolohii dlia vyhotovlennia detalei z poroshkiv splavu VT1-0. Th e Paton Welding J., № 3, 2-6.
https://doi.org/10.15407/tpwj2017.03.01
15. Matviichuk V. V., Nesterenkov V. M. (2020). Adytyvne elektronno-promeneve obladnannia dlia posharovoho vyhotovlennia metalevykh vyrobiv iz poroshkovykh materialiv. Automatic Welding, № 2, 44-49. https://doi.org/10.37434/as2020.02.08
https://doi.org/10.37434/as2020.02.08
16. Matviichuk V. V., et al. (2022). Osoblyvosti vykorystannia elektronno-promenovykh system v adytyvnomu vyrobnytstvi. Th e Paton Welding J., № 2, 17-23. https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2022.02.03
https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2022.02.03
17. NASA (2019). In-Space Manufacturing Roadmap. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
18. NASA Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII) (2023). Space Technology Mission Directorate.
https://www.nasa.gov/space-technology-mission-directorate/lunar-surface-... (Last accessed: 27 February 2026).
19. NASA Moon-to-Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology Project (MMPACT) (2022). NASA Technical Reports
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20220013524 (Last accessed: 27 February 2026).
20. Nesterenkov V. M., et al. (2020). Obladnannia dlia adytyvnoho vyhotovlennia vyrobiv z metalevykh poroshkiv ta drotu elektronnym promenem. Th e Paton Welding J., № 2, 58-65.
Opromolla R. (2024). Future in-orbit servicing operations with additive manufacturing technologies. Acta Astronautica, 222, 1-12.
21. Paek S. W., Balasubramanian S., Stupples D. (2022). Composites Additive Manufacturing for Space Applications: Process Optimization and Material Performance. Materials, 15(13), 4709.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15134709
22.Panchenko V. F., Pysarenko H. S., Yavorskyi V. T. (2018). Adytyvne vyrobnytstvo v elektronno-promenevykh tekhnolohiiakh. Automatic Welding, № 4, 25-32.
23. Paton B. E., Lobanov L. M., Asnis Yu. A., Ternovy E. G., Zubchenko Yu. V. (2017). Equipment and technology for electronbeam welding in space. Space Science and Technology, 23(4), 27¾32 [in Ukrainian].
24. Paton B. Ye., Panchenko V. F., Yavorskyi V. T. (2019). Rozrobka tekhnolohii elektronno-promenovoho adytyvnoho formuvannia metalevykh vyrobiv. Automatic Welding, № 9, 2-9.
25. Ternovyi Ye. H., et al. (2000a). Issledovanie nekotorykh voprosov svarivaemosti alyuminievykh splavov v nevesomosti. Kosmos: Tekhnologii, Materialovedenie, Konstruktsii. Kyiv: E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NAS of Ukraine, 528 p.
26. Ternovyi Ye. H., et al. (2000b). Vliianie gravitatsionnykh sil, rastvorennogo vodoroda i iskhodnoi temperatury na svoistva i plotnost soedinenii pri elektronno-luchevoi svarke legkikh konstruktsionnykh splavov. Kosmos: Tekhnologii, Materialovedenie, Konstruktsii. Kyiv: E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NAS of Ukraine, 528 p.
27. Vickers J. (2020). In-orbit additive manufacturing of metallic components: challenges and perspectives. J. Spacecraft and Rockets, 57(5), 1021-1034.