FROM LEFT, NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES BOLDEN IS JOINED BY PATRICK SCHEUERMANN, NASA MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER DIRECTOR; FRANK LEDBETTER, CHIEF OF NONMETALLIC MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING DIVISION AT THE MARSHALL CENTER; AND ANDY HARDIN, NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM SUBSYSTEM MANAGER FOR LIQUID ENGINES DURING BOLDEN'S TOUR OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RAPID PROTOTYPING FACILITY AT THE MARSHALL CENTER ON FRIDAY, FEB. 22.

NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES BOLDEN, LEFT, TALKS WITH FRANK LEDBETTER, CHIEF OF THE NONMETALLIC MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING DIVISION AT MARSHALL, ABOUT A PART OF A PROTOTYPE FOR THE CORE STAGE-TO-BOOSTER ATTACH FITTING DURING BOLDEN'S FEB. 22 VISIT TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RAPID PROTOTYPING FACILITY AT MARSHALL. DURING HIS TOUR, BOLDEN WATCHED RESEARCHERS EMPLOY A 3-D PRINTING PROCESS CALLED "SELECTIVE LASER MELTING" TO CREATE COMPLEX PARTS FOR THE J-2X AND RS-25 ROCKET ENGINES -- WITHOUT WELDING.

DURING HIS FEB. 22 VISIT TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RAPID PROTOTYPING FACILITY AT NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES BOLDEN, CENTER, TALKS WITH FRANK LEDBETTER, RIGHT, CHIEF OF THE NONMETALLIC MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING DIVISION AT MARSHALL, ABOUT THE USE OF 3-D PRINTING AND PROTOTYPING TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE PARTS FOR THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE TOUR ARE, FROM BACK RIGHT, MARSHALL CENTER DIRECTOR PATRICK SCHEUERMANN; SHERRY KITTREDGE, DEPUTY MANAGER OF THE SLS LIQUID ENGINES OFFICE; MARSHALL FLIGHT SYSTEMS DESIGN ENGINEER ROB BLACK; AND JOHN VICKERS, MANAGER OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.