Case Study: Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center achieves rapid lunar rover prototyping and testing with MakerBot METHOD X

Lockheed Martin Again Taps Makerbot 3d Printers for Their Next Big Space Project - an Ai-assisted Lunar Rover for Nasa

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC), part of Lockheed Martin Space, needed a faster, lower‑cost way to design, develop and test autonomous systems for a fully autonomous lunar rover being developed for NASA’s Artemis program. Engineers at the ATC required on‑demand, durable prototypes and small production parts that withstand harsh environments while supporting rapid iterations and the team’s broader digital‑transformation goals. To meet these needs they deployed MakerBot 3D printing—primarily the MakerBot METHOD X platform.

MakerBot supplied METHOD X printers and materials (ABS, Nylon Carbon Fiber, and soluble supports) that enabled the ATC to print sensor mounts, embedded housings and other modular rover components in‑house. The result: iteration cycles that shrank from weeks to hours, prototyping costs and lead times up to 10× lower versus external shops, and dimensionally accurate parts ready for testing and some flight applications. MakerBot’s solution also reduced part count and fasteners, supported more complex geometries, and advanced Lockheed Martin’s ability to move toward in‑situ and production 3D printing for future space missions.

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center

Alyssa Ruiz

Research Engineer and Lab Manager