Companies from across a wide range of industries are attempting to find the potential impact that additive manufacturing (AM) could have on design and manufacturing processes. During its own efforts to explore AM and its potential for space satellite development programs, Thales Alenia Space Spain wanted to conduct a research project to see how optimization techniques could be used in conjunction with new manufacturing technology. The primary objective of the study was to use design optimization techniques to reduce the thermal compliance of a satellite’s aluminium filter bracket, while also optimizing the component for weight and readying the final design for the additive manufacturing process.