An emerging UK company, Space Forge, founded in 2018, is taking bold steps to establish the field of in-space manufacturing. The innovative flying furnace is unique in its ability to produce seed crystals. These crystals are critical to growing substrates of gallium and aluminum nitride or silicon carbide. These substrates are key enablers for high-performance power devices. They deliver increased power efficiency and performance in a variety of electronic applications.
In December 2022, Space Forge sent its ForgeStar-1 satellite to orbit to test its orbital furnace capabilities. This project is an exciting first step toward developing space-grown materials. The team achieved their activation of the furnace last year, creating a continuous stream of super-hot plasma. The unique environment produced by the plasma can allow for the production of near-ideal semiconductor crystals in space. This process has the potential to completely change how we manufacture advanced electronics here on Earth.
The Technical Breakthroughs of ForgeStar-1
During the test phase the ForgeStar-1 satellite, carrying a newly developed, controlled environment orbital furnace. This furnace was built to test its capacity to the fullest. Particularly important for growing superconducting crystals, it will produce and preserve the state-of-the-art manufacturing environment necessary.
With the furnace in operation, specific conditions are created within the heating chamber that reduces contamination and increases crystal growth. When grown inside reactors on Earth, crystals tend to grow unevenly, according to Joshua Western, co-founder and CEO of Space Forge. This occurs as gravity changes the complicated cooling/heating balance across the regions. Conversely, microgravity removes convection by creating a constantly uniform deposition area, which encourages the highest quality crystal growth.
The ForgeStar-1 will deploy a new type of heat shield on its de-orbit maneuver. This advancement not only demonstrates Space Forge’s commitment to developing practical solutions for in-space manufacturing but indicates the company’s focus on sustainability and safety in orbital operations.
Impact on Semiconductor Industry
Space Forge’s efforts could potentially be revolutionary not just for the technologically advanced U.S. semiconductor industry. The ability to produce large, high-quality crystals in a microgravity environment solves many problems that crystal-growing manufacturers on our planet encounter. Western noted that a space-grown substrate would increase the yield of a $10K high-end AI processor from 50 percent to 90 percent. It would allow a quantum computer to function in temperatures much closer to room temperature rather than near absolute zero—even making the eventual launch cost just a tiny percentage of the new value it will create.
The outlook is consistent with the overall trend of accelerating investment in space-based manufacturing technologies. Private sector companies like ACME Space, Varda Industries, and Voyager Technologies are not far behind. Meanwhile, Varda Industries just raised $329 million to begin manufacturing drugs in space. In parallel, Voyager Technologies filed a broad patent claiming a new way to grow crystals of specialized fiber-optic materials in low-gravity environments.
Industry experts believe that the in-orbit manufacturing market will skyrocket to an astounding $28.19 billion by 2034. An increasing number of private sector companies are seeing the economic opportunities in producing these specialized materials beyond our Earth’s atmosphere.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Even with these promising advancements, challenges remain with in-space manufacturing. Anne Wilson, a senior industry analyst, explained what microgravity means for industries. While she doesn’t think it’s appropriate for generating large amounts of materials, niche materials meant for very specific applications could be a good investment.
And while not all applications will ultimately need in-space production, many will see tremendous advantage from the unique conditions provided by microgravity. As Western elaborates further on the potential advantages: “There will be a level of degradation over time and over generations of growth.” The truth of this statement explains the necessity for continued R&D as businesses continue to race to perfect their methods and materials.
Beyond the tangible benefits and impact, the monetary return on investment from successful in-space manufacturing is enormous. This is because launching payloads to low Earth orbit with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 costs over $1,500 per kilogram. This new pricing serves to continue lowering the threshold for accessing space. New developments in their production process, along with the decreasing cost of high-quality materials are changing the industry landscape. In doing so, businesses can be at the forefront of this booming market.