Innospace Commercializes "Support-Free Titanium 3D Printing" to Target Space and Defense Component Markets

Satellite Tank Production Time Cut by 2.5 Times, Costs Reduced by 40%
Launch Vehicle Technology Expands into Advanced Manufacturing Business

Innospace, a private space launch vehicle company, has become the first in Korea to commercialize a metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) process that produces high-precision titanium components without the need for support structures. With this, the company has set out to target the high-value-added parts markets in the space and defense sectors. This achievement is significant in that Innospace has expanded its manufacturing technologies, accumulated during launch vehicle development, into high-reliability component businesses such as satellite fuel tanks and defense structures.

Dome-shaped titanium high-pressure tank produced using support-free additive manufacturing (3D printing) process technology. Provided by Innospace

On April 9, Innospace announced the commercialization of its titanium metal additive manufacturing technology, which can create complex curved structures—such as spherical and dome shapes—without support structures. Conventional metal additive manufacturing requires internal supports, leading to increased post-processing, manufacturing delays, and limited design freedom. In contrast, Innospace’s technology achieves stable manufacturing even with titanium, a material prone to thermal deformation, thereby overcoming one of the most significant challenges in additive manufacturing.

High-precision components produced using this process were supplied to a domestic aerospace company in December 2025 and have since been applied and verified in actual use. By reducing the post-processing stage, manufacturing time was shortened by 2.5 times compared to previous methods, and costs were reduced by up to 40%. Additionally, the increased design flexibility is expected to lead to further weight reduction and performance improvements.

This internalization of technology is closely aligned with the goal of securing a leading position in the rapidly growing advanced manufacturing market. According to Wohlers Associates, the global additive manufacturing market is projected to grow from USD 21.9 billion in 2024 to USD 145.2 billion in 2034.

This achievement exemplifies how additive manufacturing capabilities developed during the “Hanbit” launch vehicle project have been commercialized. Soo-Jong Kim, CEO of Innospace, stated, “We will accelerate our business expansion into high-value-added component markets, such as space, defense, and satellite structures, based on the deep-tech additive manufacturing technologies accumulated throughout our launch vehicle development process.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.