Rocket Lab begins installation of rocket-building machine in MD

Daily Record Staff//August 9, 2024//

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California-based Rocket Lab USA Inc. Friday announced it has begun installation of the largest automated fiber placement (AFP) machine of its kind into the company’s Neutron rocket production line in Maryland.

Rocket Lab employees stand with the company’s new rocket-building robot at its manufacturing facility in Middle River. (Photo courtesy of Rocket Lab)

The AFP machine will enable Rocket Lab to automate production of the largest carbon composite rocket structures in history.

The custom-built 99-ton, 39-foot robotic machine, Made by Electroimpact in Washington, has just completed final acceptance testing with the manufacturer and installation has begun at Rocket Lab’s Space Structures Complex in Middle River.

The new machine will automate the production of all large composite structures of the Neutron launch vehicle including the panels that make up the 91-foot interstage and fairing, 22.9-foot diameter first stage and the 16.4-foot diameter second stage tank.

The autonomous machine can move up to 98 feet in length and lay down continuous carbon fiber composite at a rate of 328 feet per minute. The AFP machine also has a fully automated real-time inspection system that looks for miniscule defects throughout the laminated carbon composite and alerts the machine operator of any issues before the machine begins laying down the next layer.

As Neutron’s carbon composite structures move into full-scale production, this autonomous machine is expected to introduce significant time-savings of more than 150,000 manufacturing hours into the production process.