NASA is seeking to replace a 17-year-old computed tomography (CT) inspection system at the Marshall Space Flight Center with a next-generation platform designed to strengthen the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of spacecraft hardware, composites and additively manufactured components.
The planned replacement is intended to restore a mission-critical inspection capability while improving imaging quality, system reliability and analytical accuracy. NASA's existing CT system has experienced significant reliability issues, including more than 50% downtime over the past 18 months.
CT Inspection for Advanced Aerospace Hardware
The new CT system will support the inspection of components measuring up to 60 inches and weighing as much as 3,000 pounds, allowing NASA engineers to examine larger and more complex aerospace hardware.
The platform is expected to provide advanced imaging capabilities, including high-resolution three-dimensional datasets, artifact reduction and multiple detector options suited to different inspection applications.
Computed tomography provides a non-destructive way to examine the internal structure of components using X-rays. The technology enables engineers to identify internal features and potential defects without cutting or otherwise damaging the inspected hardware.
For aerospace applications, this capability is particularly relevant to components containing complex internal geometries that may be difficult to evaluate using conventional inspection methods.
Supporting Additive Manufacturing and Composite Inspection
NASA plans to use the next-generation CT system for the nondestructive evaluation of additively manufactured components, pressure vessels and composite materials, including composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs).
The system will also support detailed failure investigations across ongoing and future NASA programmes.
As aerospace manufacturing increasingly incorporates additive manufacturing and advanced composites, CT inspection can provide three-dimensional visibility into internal structures while preserving the inspected component for subsequent testing or qualification activities.
Advanced Software for NDE Analysis
The planned CT platform will also feature enhanced software capabilities designed to support engineering analysis. These capabilities will allow users to measure features, compare dimensions and evaluate the potential impact of detected defects more efficiently.
The combination of high-resolution 3D imaging and improved analytical tools is intended to strengthen NASA's ability to characterise internal structures and assess component quality during development, inspection and failure investigations.
With the replacement of its aging CT system, NASA aims to establish a more reliable and capable inspection platform for spacecraft hardware, advanced composites and additive manufacturing applications.
