Case Study: Neptec achieves safe return of Space Shuttle Endeavour with Stratasys Dimension 3D Printing

3d Printing Helps Bring Endeavour Home Safely

Neptec, a longtime NASA prime contractor, was called on to evaluate foam‑impact damage to the space shuttle Endeavour’s Thermal Protection System after launch. Using its Laser Camera System (LCS) to capture detailed 3D scans, Neptec leveraged Stratasys’ Dimension 3D Printer to produce a physical model of the damaged tiles for assessment.

Stratasys’ Dimension model, printed from Neptec’s LCS data, let NASA mission managers visually inspect and test the gouge, determine it did not pose a re‑entry risk, and confidently proceed with landing—Endeavour returned safely on Aug. 21 after the 13‑day, 5.3 million‑mile mission. The Stratasys solution also delivered ongoing prototyping value to Neptec for fit and interference testing, speeding engineering decisions.

Neptec

Maureen Campbell

Marketing and Communications Manager