Samueli School of Engineering

As space exploration continues to evolve, researchers have been investigating ways to develop low-cost landing systems. Lattice structures are an attractive option for reducing costs during terrestrial landings due to their lightweight character and energy absorption capacity. The ability to produce complex geometries, specifically lightweight lattice structures, makes additive manufacturing an attractive method for producing energy absorbing lattices. During this project, various stereolithography 3D printed lattice structures were designed, manufactured, and tested for their energy absorption capacities. The findings from this study could significantly advance low-cost, high-performance landing solutions for future terrestrial missions, enabling more efficient space exploration.