NASA Goddard

harsh environment, but also because it’s impossible to make
any physical adjustments after the device has left the launching
pad.
To accomplish its difficult mission, LOLA depends on a tiny
array of five fiber-optic lenses held in a precision-machined
ferrule. LOLA fires a laser beam through this optical array,
where it is broken into five separate beams, each of which
bounces off the moon’s surface before returning to LOLA and
being transmitted back to earth, thus allowing scientists to
measure the surface variations and piece together a 3D map
of the lunar surface.
Matuszeski explained that the five fiber optics — each just 0.1
mm in diameter — were precisely placed in a cross pattern
on the back of the telescope. “It kind of looked like the cross
section of a clover leaf or club from a deck of cards. We were
trying to machine that shape into a stainless steel ferule 2.5
mm across.”
He further explained, “All five of them had to be located within
respect to the center of the pattern within 10 to 15 microns.
The holes had to be slightly more precise than that, because
otherwise the fibers could move around and get bonded in
the wrong place. We used a 0.003” end mill running at up to
36,000 rpm, and looked at the tool after every cut to check for
wear. We’d then adjust the next cut based on that. I don’t think
we could’ve done these particular parts on any other machines
than a highly accurate 5 axis machining center.”
It’s tough machining work, to be sure. So why not outsource
it? With today’s budget-cutting economy, wouldn’t it be easier
and cheaper just to send this work out to a job shop, someone
who specializes in this sort of work? Said Showalter, “In fact,
the majority of the work that we do goes outside to our vendors.
But what I see as different from a job shop is that we’re
here to produce a part, sure, but we’re also here to figure out
the process. That’s why we keep a lot of the tougher work inhouse.
When you’re doing internal research and development
or solving critical tolerance issues for a flight project, it gives
you in-house control and feedback in real time for the development
of that process.”
That’s because, aside from high-precision and high-performance
machinery and the knowledge to operate it, building
a spacecraft also requires a high level of collaboration. Said
Showalter, “We look at this as a triangle — science, engineering
and manufacturing. You need science for the ideas of what
you’re going to do. Engineering determines the designs for the
hardware. But, nobody flies without manufacturing. There are
three legs to the stool.”
According to Showalter, “At times we’ll go back to the machine
and cutting tool vendors to get their input. We don’t
pretend to be the expert on everything. That’s why we collaborate
with the organizations that sell us the equipment. We
don’t want to go in and just buy a machine. The most value
to us, the government, is the full package: is it the correct
manufacturing technology, what does the machine cost, what
does the training cost, are application engineers available
when needed?”
These factors are important because the facility’s schedules
are critical. When dealing with celestial events, there may
be times there’s only one chance for success. “For instance,
if we’re involved in a project specific to a comet fly by, for
example, such an event may not have occurred in hundreds of
years. So when we are involved with such once-in-a-lifetime
events, meeting specified launch dates is mandatory. To do
so, we’ll use all the resources available to us, including our
machine tool suppliers.”
“After the new machines were installed, GF AgieCharmilles
came out and had both machines up and running in less than
10 days. Training began. We were bringing new folks into the
cell. Because of that, we made calls and had applications support
quickly queued up and on the phone whenever we needed
it.”
Showalter said that level of support continues today, “We had
a job that was kind of rushed and we needed support, and they
sent an applications engineer out who was on site within 48
hours. Considering we had three new guys coming into that
group, that’s pretty good. Pretty much, that’s the standard.
Anything we put on the floor, the expectation is that’s what we
want, and AgieCharmilles is quite aware of what we need, so
they deliver it and meet our expectations every time.”
“Overall, GF AgieCharmilles is a very responsive technical
collaborator and has played a vital role for us,” commented
Showalter. “We are looking to make Goddard a world-class,
premiere manufacturing facility. That said, as the technology
grows, we intend to grow with it. The days of buying a piece of
equipment and keeping it for 25 years until its dead are gone.”
With the rapid change of technology, it’s important that the
facility can update the equipment at the end of its useful life.
Bill Cowan, sales associate with Tuckahoe, the GF
AgieCharmilles Sales Agent that supplied the Mikron equipment
to Goddard, supports that statement. “Something that’s
different here than in a lot of other government facilities is
this: machines at Goddard are being utilized more consistently
than what I see in a lot of private shops. Goddard works as
teams that are all on campus, so production times are shorter
and operations more efficient with less waste.”
For over 50 years, the U.S. space program has been making
important scientific discoveries, providing the raw stuff of high
technology. It’s not just about putting people in space. Aside
from the obvious benefits of space technology — global positioning
systems, weather monitoring, and telecommunication
satellites, to name a few — there are also the everyday items
often taken for granted: athletic shoes, water purification,
smoke detectors, invisible braces, instant-read thermometers,
even pizza delivery boxes and golf-ball dimples. The list
goes on, and will continue to grow as NASA and the talented
people at the Goddard Space Flight Center continue to push
the limits.