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From Your Concept to Orbit

Precision Metal Components for Spaceflight

Why Precision Metal Forming Matters for Rocket Launch

Propelling spaceflight demands more than strong materials, it requires precision at every stage.
In space applications, tighter tolerances, fewer welds, and consistent material integrity directly translate into performance, reliability, and safety. Precision metal-forming technologies enable lighter components, improved structural strength, and complex geometries that traditional fabrication methods struggle to achieve—critical advantages when every ounce and every failure point matters.

AST delivers that precision at scale.
Our advanced metal-forming processes maximize material efficiency while producing seamless, high-integrity rocket components designed to withstand extreme conditions. From one-piece solutions to large, complex parts, we reduce joints, minimize waste, and control variability, helping you improve performance while managing cost and manufacturability.

We bring your design to life by working as an extension of your engineering team.
With deep in-house expertise, specialized equipment, and proven aerospace experience, AST partners with you to ensure every component fits your design intent, production process, and mission requirements no matter the size, shape, or stage of assembly.

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Why Precision Metal Forming Matters for Rocket Launch

Combustion Chambers

Seamless, Precision-Formed Combustion Chamber Liners and Jackets

Combustion chambers operate under extreme heat and pressure, making material integrity and precision critical to engine performance and safety. AST manufactures one-piece combustion chamber liners and jackets with no welds, reducing failure points while improving thermal efficiency and structural strength.

By eliminating welds and minimizing post-processing, AST delivers higher-quality components with lower cost and faster production cycles. We currently supply liners and jackets for multiple rocket programs and efficiently produce copper and other materials to meet exact specifications for demanding delivery timelines.

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Cones and Nozzles

One-Piece, Metal-Spun Nozzle Liners and Components for Optimal Flow and Strength

Nozzles and cones directly influence thrust efficiency and vehicle stability during launch. AST produces one-piece nozzle liners and components using precision metal spinning, creating optimized grain structures that improve durability under extreme thermal and mechanical stress.

From copper nozzle liners to Inconel, Haynes, titanium, and stainless-steel cones, extensions, and jackets, AST combines material expertise with controlled forming processes to deliver consistent, flight-ready parts that meet the exact performance requirements of your space program.

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Fuel System Components

Precision-Formed Fuel System Components for Reliable Propellant Flow

Fuel system components must maintain structural integrity while ensuring consistent propellant flow throughout flight. AST manufactures flow-formed tubes and spun-formed downcomers and hatches using aerospace-grade aluminum alloys, including 2219, 6061, and 7075.

Our controlled forming processes produce seamless inner and outer tubes from 8” to 24” in diameter and up to 15’ in length, as well as large spun-formed components up to 110” in diameter. This capability ensures lightweight strength, dimensional accuracy, and repeatable quality for mission-critical fuel systems.

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Pressure Vessel Components

High-Integrity Pressure Vessel Components Engineered for Spaceflight

Pressure vessels store and manage critical fluids under extreme conditions, requiring flawless material quality and precision forming. AST manufactures seamless pressure vessels and COPV liners in aluminum, as well as single-seam liners in titanium, Inconel®, stainless steel, and Haynes.

With in-house forming and tight process control, we deliver custom cylinders, domes, tubes, and liners across a wide range of sizes and wall thicknesses. Each component is engineered to integrate seamlessly into your production process while meeting stringent aerospace performance and safety standards.

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Solid Rocket Motor Cases

High-Strength Solid Rocket Motor Cases Built for Maximum Performance

Solid rocket motor cases must withstand intense internal pressures while maintaining structural stability throughout launch. AST manufactures solid and hybrid motor cases using rotary forging and flow forming to create optimal grain structure and superior strength.

Our in-house capabilities provide unmatched control over quality, geometry, and delivery timelines. The result is a lighter, stronger motor case with consistent performance—giving your rocket the structural reliability required for mission success.

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Why Choose AST for Your Aerospace Components?

Spaceflight demands precision, reliability, and manufacturing partners who understand what’s at stake. AST combines advanced metal-forming technologies, rigorous quality standards, and deep aerospace experience to deliver components that perform under the most extreme conditions.

We don’t just manufacture parts, we collaborate with your engineering and production teams to solve complex challenges, reduce risk, and accelerate timelines. From early design input to production-ready components, AST helps ensure your aerospace systems are built for performance, manufacturability, and mission success.

Whether you’re developing a new launch system or scaling an existing program, AST has the expertise, in-house capabilities, and quality discipline to support you from your design to orbit.

In-House Versatility

Access to metal spinning, rotary forging, and flow forming capabilities – all under one roof provides you the flexibility to produce components of any shape, size or state of assembly based on your project needs.

One-Piece Specialization

Reduce material waste and post-processing expenses with no weld, seamless flight components that maintain quality and structural integrity at any size or shape.

Near Net Shape Forming

CNC rotary forging presses produce near-net shape components up to 56” in diameter, reducing material waste and secondary machining while maintaining precise geometry and structural integrity.

Complex Geometries

We employ non-standard shapes for larger, lighter constructions. These are delivered as one-piece for heightened strength, durability, and performance.

Rotationally Symmetric Shapes

Spin Formed Components

Advanced spin forming creates rotationally symmetric parts with high material efficiency, producing components up to 60″ in diameter with consistent strength and repeatable quality.

Flow Formed Components
Flow forming produces precision tubular components with exceptional material efficiency, achieving lengths up to 130″ with consistent wall thickness, strength, and repeatable quality.

Large-Diameter Tubes and Nozzles

Specialized forming equipment enables the production of large-diameter tubes and nozzles for spaceflight applications, as well as oversized military and forged wheels up to 35” in diameter, supporting demanding performance requirements.

Advanced Machining Capabilities

A fully equipped CNC and conventional machine shop with more than 60 machines supports precision turning and milling of parts up to 90” in diameter and 80” in length, ensuring tight tolerances and production-ready components..

Near Net Shapes

CNC rotary forging presses offer near net shape forgings up to 56” diameter.

Rotationally Symmetric Shapes

Spin/flow forming machines, creating a wide variety of rotationally symmetric shapes with a high degree of material efficiency up to 60” diameter and 130” length.

Large Diameter Tubes

Our machines can create large diameter tubes and nozzles for high profile space applications, oversized military wheels up to 35” in diameter, and forged wheels up to 34” in.

Superior Machine Shop Capabilities

Conventional and CNC machine shop with over 60 machines for lathe turning and milling up to 90” diameter and 80” length.

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AST Metal Forming Capabilities

You don’t need to worry about manufacturing methods or process details. Simply share your specifications, and AST’s engineering team will determine the optimal metal-forming approach to achieve your requirements.

Our role is to deliver the outcome you need — precise size and shape, required material properties, and assembly compatibility — while balancing production timelines and cost targets. With comprehensive in-house capabilities, we provide fast, customized solutions for complex geometry, including cones, tubes, domes, and finished cylinders.

Benefits

One-Piece Solutions →

  • Enhanced structural integrity and durability
  • Streamlined assembly with no welded joints

Rotary Forging →

  • High-precision dimensional accuracy
  • Improved surface finish quality
  • Refined material hardening
  • Optimized grain structure

Metal Spinning →

  • Significant material savings
  • Low-cost modular tooling
  • Rapid production runs

Flow Forming →

  • Enhanced material properties
  • Increased load-bearing capacity
  • Extended service life compared to metal cutting processes

How it Works

One-Piece Solutions →

We forge combustion chambers and nozzles directly from a solid disk or ring, eliminating welded sections entirely. The result is structural homogeneity across the whole component, superior tensile strength, fewer manufacturing steps, and no join points where failure can occur.

Rotary Forging →

AST’s manufacturing process is sequential by design, and rotary forging is where it begins. Using rotational and axial compression, rotary forging shapes metal while actively refining its grain structure, establishing the mechanical properties that every subsequent process builds upon: strength, durability, and material consistency.

Critically, rotary forging produces near-net-shape components. We start with a smaller, precisely calculated piece of material rather than a large block that gets machined down. Less raw material, less waste, and lower cost, built in from step one, before any subsequent process begins.

Metal Spinning →

The preform entering our metal spinning process isn’t just any starting piece. It’s a rotary-forged blank with already-refined grain density and superior mechanical properties. High-pressure rollers then bring it to its final geometry, simultaneously achieving precise form and surface finish. Because the forging did the heavy metallurgical work first, metal spinning can focus on accuracy and efficiency.

Flow Forming →

Flow forming manufactures tubular components by applying roller pressure to a tubular preform over a mandrel. As the material rotates, it flows axially, achieving reduced wall thickness, tight tolerances, and high structural integrity for rocket motor cases, cylinders, and liners.

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Our Rocket Component Consultation Process – Your Next Steps

  1.  Provide your desired part specifications: including size, shape, performance requirements, and assembly considerations.
  2.  Our expert advises you on the feasibility of the request and adjustments are made if necessary.
  3.  Multiple drawings and design ideas are shared, and our expert provides insights on what can be achieved.
  4.  You can decide on the best option for you based on price, speed and performance.
  5.  We collaborate together to create your parts and keep you in the loop every step of the way.