# Why AM is Mission Critical to Launcher's Quest to Reach Orbit

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2023-02-21
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 2
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/be2ea727

## Summary

Tim Berry, Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at California-based Launcher, explains how additive manufacturing is mission-critical to the company's Launcher Light rocket and Orbiter orbital transfer vehicle. He details how powder bed fusion on EOS M 300 and M 4K printers allows for 80% of the bill of materials to be printed, including monolithic copper combustion chambers and titanium propellant tanks, enabling rapid iteration and high performance. Berry highlights Orbiter's three core missions—orbital transfer, hosted payloads, and debris cleanup—and contrasts Launcher's vertically integrated, high-performance approach with legacy aerospace timelines.

## Chapters

- [2:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=141) Introduction: Tim Berry and his career journey from SpaceX to Launcher
- [7:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=471) Why Tim Berry joined Launcher: High performance and vertical integration
- [10:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=639) Launcher Light and Orbiter: Rocket architecture and engine performance
- [14:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=877) Additive manufacturing dominance: EOS M 300, M 4K, and 80% of BOM
- [20:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=1225) Orbiter's three core missions: Transfer, hosted payloads, and debris cleanup
- [30:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit#t=1824) Future of AM and space industry: Scaling and capacity deficits

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Launcher (company)
- Tim Berry (other)
- EOS (company)
- SpaceX (company)
- Falcon 9 (product)
- Falcon Heavy (product)
- Dragon (product)
- Launcher Light (product)
- Orbiter (product)
- EOS M 4K (tool)
- Titanium 64 (material)
- Copper (material)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [HIBT Lab! Ursa Major: Joe Laurienti](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-04-20-hibt-lab-ursa-major-joe-laurienti) (How I Built This)
- [BONUS: Exploring Manufacturing Partnerships Part 2, Live from IMTS 2022 (brought to you by KUKA)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-11-11-bonus-exploring-manufacturing-partnerships-part-2-live-from-imts-2022-brought-to) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [21. AI Rescues Firefighters, NASA Prints Spacecraft Parts, Plug & Play Prosthetics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-08-21-ai-rescues-firefighters-nasa-prints-spacecraft-parts-plug-play-prosthetics) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [179. 3D Printed Mini Thrusters For Space Travel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-06-18-179-3d-printed-mini-thrusters-for-space-travel) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Star Trek Replicators? How Additive Manufacturing is Changing the Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-09-14-star-trek-replicators-how-additive-manufacturing-is-changing-the-industry) (Over the Air)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-02-21-why-am-is-mission-critical-to-launchers-quest-to-reach-orbit. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Additive Snack.