By Hannah Godofsky|February 21, 2020
Last July NASA’s Langley Research Center introduced Larkworks, a makerspace where scientists and engineers share ideas for advancing their research through technologies like 3D printing, laser cutting and computer numerical control milling. I had a chance to visit Larkworks through the recent NASA Social program that was held on Feb. 10 and see for myself some of the work that Langley scientists and engineers have been doing. There were 3D-printed drones and propellers, and robotics projects like a Haddington Dynamics arm. Probably the most eye-catching engineering project I saw was a fully 3D-printed aircraft nacelle, demonstrated by Brandon Litherland.
The 3D-printed nacelle won’t be used on a real plane, but it is a model of a component that will fly on a real NASA research aircraft. NASA’s X-57 Maxwell technology…
