How Boeing 3D Prints Strong Lightweight Spacecraft Panels
A method for printing a single-piece, high-strength spacecraft panel using 3D printing to create complex internal trusses that eliminate the need for bolts or welds.
Original patent title: “Additively manufactured spacecraft panel”
A method for printing a single-piece, high-strength spacecraft panel using 3D printing to create complex internal trusses that eliminate the need for bolts or welds. Granted to Boeing Co in 2023 with 23 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to 3D print a spacecraft panel as one single, solid piece. Instead of building a panel from separate sheets and beams, the printer creates two outer skins with stiffening grids and connects them with a complex internal truss structure. Because it is printed as a monolithic unit, the panel has no joints, seams, welds, or fasteners. This design allows for variable density in the internal core, meaning engineers can make parts of the panel stronger or lighter depending on where they are located on the spacecraft.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover panels built by traditional assembly methods like riveting, welding, or bolting parts together.
- Does not cover panels that are not produced via additive manufacturing (3D printing).
- Does not cover structures where the truss members intersect each other, as the claimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → specifically requires non-intersecting members.
- Does not cover panels that are not formed as a single monolithic unit.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in printing the entire panel—skins and internal truss—as a single monolithic unit where the truss nodes align perfectly with the intersections of the surface stiffeners, all without any internal seams or joints.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Satellite chassis structural panels
Spacecraft radiation shielding components
Lightweight aerospace load-bearing walls
Why it matters
The bigger picture
In space travel, every gram of weight is extremely expensive to launch. By replacing heavy mechanical fasteners and joints with a single, optimized 3D-printed structure, Boeing can reduce the mass of spacecraft components while maintaining structural integrity. This approach represents a shift toward 'part consolidation,' where complex assemblies are reduced to a single printed part, simplifying supply chains and reducing failure points.
Filed
August 28, 2019
Granted
October 24, 2023
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Boeing is the primary developer of this technology, using it to refine the structural efficiency of their satellite and spacecraft platforms. Other major aerospace players like Lockheed Martin and various NewSpace startups are also aggressively pursuing additive manufacturing to reduce the weight of orbital hardware.
Market impact
This patent supports the broader industry transition toward additive manufacturing for primary structural components in space. By validating the use of monolithic, joint-free panels, it helps reduce the reliance on complex, labor-intensive assembly processes, potentially lowering the cost of satellite production and increasing the payload capacity of launch vehicles.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to 3D print a spacecraft panel as one single, solid piece. Instead of building a panel from separate sheets and beams, the printer creates two outer skins with stiffening grids and connects them with a complex internal truss structure. Because it is printed as a monolithic unit, the panel has no joints, seams, welds, or fasteners. This design allows for variable density in the internal core, meaning engineers can make parts of the panel stronger or lighter depending on where they are located on the spacecraft.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in printing the entire panel—skins and internal truss—as a single monolithic unit where the truss nodes align perfectly with the intersections of the surface stiffeners, all without any internal seams or joints.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover panels built by traditional assembly methods like riveting, welding, or bolting parts together.
- Does not cover panels that are not produced via additive manufacturing (3D printing).
- Does not cover structures where the truss members intersect each other, as the claim specifically requires non-intersecting members.
- Does not cover panels that are not formed as a single monolithic unit.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$26K – $84K
Midpoint $53K · 13.2 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Joe, C. D., Schoenborn, N. D., Aston, R. W., & Hastings, N. M. (2023). How Boeing 3D Prints Strong Lightweight Spacecraft Panels (U.S. Patent No. 11,794,927). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11794927/starship-life-support-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Boeing 3D Prints Strong Lightweight Spacecraft Panels cover?
A method for printing a single-piece, high-strength spacecraft panel using 3D printing to create complex internal trusses that eliminate the need for bolts or welds.
Who owns patent US 11794927?
Boeing Co owns this patent, granted in 2023.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 24, 2043, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
In space travel, every gram of weight is extremely expensive to launch. By replacing heavy mechanical fasteners and joints with a single, optimized 3D-printed structure, Boeing can reduce the mass of spacecraft components while maintaining structural integrity. This approach represents a shift toward 'part consolidation,' where complex assemblies are reduced to a single printed part, simplifying supply chains and reducing failure points.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover panels built by traditional assembly methods like riveting, welding, or bolting parts together.
Same assignee
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