Home / Aerospace AM / AM for Space / Chromatic 3D Materials establishes a rocket propellant test site in Minnesota Aerospace AM AM for Space Defense Chromatic 3D Materials establishes a rocket propellant test site in Minnesota The additive manufacturer paired an on-site print lab with live-fire testing under a five-year lease at a National Guard facility Joseph Caron-Dawe August 25, 2026 1 minute read Stay up to date with everything that is happening in the wonderful world of AM via our LinkedIn community. Chromatic 3D Materials has established a rocket propellant test-firing site at Camp Ripley, a 53,000-acre Minnesota National Guard training facility near Little Falls, under a five-year lease. The site pairs a propellant print lab with on-site live-fire test infrastructure, letting the company move directly from fabrication to test firing. The arrangement grew out of work with Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Minnesota and the Minnesota National Security Ecosystem, which connected Chromatic with Camp Ripley and the Minnesota National Guard. OnRamp Hub: Minnesota operates under a Department of Defense initiative to speed adoption of dual-use technologies for national security. LEMA, a Minnesota-based expeditionary power company working under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, joined the partnership to explore pairing power generation with Chromatic’s manufacturing and propulsion testing. “Commercial companies often have promising technologies but need access to the right partners, facilities, and testing environments to demonstrate their capabilities and move forward,” said Matt Hickey, Managing Director of OnRamp Hub: Minnesota. By putting its print lab next to the test range, Chromatic has created what it described as a closed-loop setup that shortens iteration cycles for propellant formulations and grain geometries. The company said Camp Ripley provides a secure, controlled environment that meets DoD standards. Chromatic and LEMA are also working to demonstrate forward-positioned solar power generation at Camp Ripley, pairing portable solar systems with on-site propellant production to explore an energy-independent model for manufacturing and testing in remote settings. “Development and manufacturing speed are critical in modern defense. Our presence at Camp Ripley allows us to rapidly demonstrate performance, validate manufacturing approaches and reduce the time required to deliver advanced propulsion solutions to rocket manufacturers,” said Cora Leibig, Chief Executive Officer at Chromatic 3D Materials. Tags future Joseph Caron-Dawe August 25, 2026 1 minute read