NASA's Innovative Alloy Enables 3D Printed Rocket Launch by Relativity Space

Relativity Space launched the Terran 1, the first test rocket made entirely from 3D-printed parts, incorporating nine 3D-printed engines built using an innovative copper alloy known as Glenn Research Copper (GRCop), capable of withstanding temperatures nearing 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Developed at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, GRCop alloys offer high strength, thermal conductivity, and creep resistance, allowing them to tolerate temperatures up to 40% higher than traditional copper alloys. The GRCop alloys pair very well with the latest additive manufacturing methods, such as laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition, which can be used to build GRCop parts for many aerospace applications.