Why the US-China space race could come down to a thin metal cap

Propellant tank dome that is only millimetres thick must withstand extreme internal pressures and is very difficult to mass-produce An ellipsoidal bulkhead several metres wide but only millimetres thick, the dome must withstand extreme internal pressures, vibration and shock. The rounded, capsule-like end cap is also very difficult to mass-produce. Whichever country can make these components faster, cheaper and more reliably will have an advantage in building the large fleets of reusable rockets needed for the future space economy. Now, China is signalling that it may have found not one but two ways to break the bottleneck. At the same time, Chinese researchers have unveiled a revolutionary “cold forming” technique that can shape a complete, seamless dome in a few hours rather than a week – an advance that could tilt the balance of the US-China space race in the years ahead.

Read the full article at the source →