Yang Du

This project develops a new way to weld stainless steel for space hardware. Traditional single-laser welding often causes cracks and weak spots that can reduce the safety of NASA’s cryogenic fuel tanks. The proposed new dual-laser adjustable mode beam (DLAMB) method uses two controllable laser beams to shape heat more precisely, creating stronger, defect-free joints. Using a newly installed 10-kilowatt DLAMB system, the research aims to build reliable stainless-steel structures for NASA’s Artemis and Moon-to-Mars missions, helping produce safer, more efficient cryogenic tanks for future rocket launches and deep-space exploration.

I am truly honored to receive my first funded project through the Iowa NASA EPSCoR RBSG program. This award provides a strong foundation for my research in advanced laser manufacturing and supports my goal of developing innovative, defect-free welding technologies for space applications. The Iowa NASA EPSCoR RBSG support not only strengthens my laboratory’s capabilities but also inspires my future work toward contributing to NASA’s missions and advancing the next generation of materials for extreme environments.

Yang Du

Dual-laser adjustable mode beam (DLAMB) welding for large-scale defect-free stainless steel parts