Qualification of additively manufactured polymer fluid manifolds for life-detection instruments

The advancement of multiple mission concepts to investigate the subsurface oceans of icy worlds, particularly Titan, Enceladus, and Europa, is driving the development of autonomous life detection instruments. An inherent aspect of this type of instrument is the need for a compact, reliable, and chemically inert internal liquid transport network. Additively manufactured (AM) custom liquid manifolds produced via stereolithography (SLA) methods can meet these constraints. However, before these materials can be considered, basic spaceflight requirements, qualification for flight worthiness and functionality must be addressed. In this study, mechanical properties, outgassing behavior, polymeric characteristics, and chemical compatibility are assessed for select commercially available AM polymers. The results indicate that SLA materials meet basic materials qualification requirements, including sufficiently characterized mechanical properties, the identification of a bakeout protocol for reduced outgassing to meet NASA standards, and chemical compatibility with liquids and reagents used in candidate instrumentation under development for life detection missions.