TWI’s involvement in projects for the space industry

Over the last 20 years TWI has carried out an increasing number of projects for space organisations around the world. From the development of friction stir welding, that changed the way space organisations manufactured their aluminium fuel tanks, to the welding of safety critical valves, joining of metallic to non-metallic materials and the development of additive manufacture for space parts, TWI has played a leading role as a technology provider for space organisations in the UK, Europe, USA, India & China.

This paper will review public domain projects particularly for the European Space Agency over the last 5 years, but will also make reference to several other projects of significant importance to this sector.