Space Forge has recently achieved the successful operation of its orbital furnace on the ForgeStar-1 satellite. This achievement represents a significant breakthrough toward powering the future with semiconductor technology. The lab’s furnace casts a single stream of super-hot plasma to produce seed crystals that go into the world’s best power devices. This really different approach is designed to harness the extraordinary conditions of space. It endeavors to create materials that will be better than those grown on Earth.
Space Forge, founded in 2018. The company’s mission and passion lies in creating the most ultra-efficient next-generation electronics, ultrafast optical networks and pharmaceutical research breakthroughs. Having already completed several orbital flights to test that return technology, the company is targeting more such tests this year. These efforts are immensely important. They show that the ForgeStar-1 can consistently produce the manufacturing environment required to cultivate superconductor crystals.
This mission will end with the deployment of a revolutionary new heat shield. It will be used on the satellite’s de-orbit maneuver scheduled for later this year. If and when ForgeStar-1 does return to Earth, it will be meeting its end fate. Ripening these will require a follow-up mission to collect the first batch of space-grown crystals.
Advancements in Semiconductor Production
The ForgeStar-1 satellite’s furnace is designed to maintain even temperature and stability necessary for proper crystal growth. It aims to create the world’s first manufacturing substrates in gallium and aluminum nitride or silicon carbide. Joshua Western, co-founder and CEO of Space Forge, thinks that space-grown semiconductors alone have the potential to completely transform industries. Their potential impact is as bold as it is transformative.
“From a single kilogram of space-grown semiconductor, manufacturers on Earth will grow tonnes of high-performance material.” – Joshua Western
The unusual conditions of microgravity space –such as higher homogeneity, lower noise from other competing chemical reactions — help grow higher quality crystals. Western further explains that on Earth, gravity acts to disrupt the dynamic control of crystal growth.
“While I remember paying $20k a wafer in the early days, we are down in the hundreds of dollars range in volume markets like power,” – Matt Francis
Above 500 kilometers in altitude the microgravity environment reduces the amount of contaminants such as nitrogen. This reduction is critical because any interference with crystal growth would complicate XRD analysis.
“For example, if you’re worried about nitrogen interfering with your growth process, on Earth [in a vacuum chamber] nitrogen might be present at concentration of around 10 to the -11,” – Joshua Western
“In space, above 500 kilometers altitude, it’s naturally present at 10 to the -22.” – Joshua Western
Because of GIAs compensating action, this large drop in nitrogen concentration can greatly improve electron mobility in the crystals grown. E. Steve Putna, director of the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute, underscores this unique edge.
“Space-grown crystals have demonstrated significantly higher electron mobility, which could translate to a 20-40 percent increase in switching efficiency compared to Earth-grown counterparts.” – E. Steve Putna
Potential Applications and Industry Impact
The effects of Space Forge’s technology go far beyond simply achieving better performance statistics. These expected breakthroughs could result in billions of dollars in energy savings in commercial, residential, and industrial applications. Western said these energy efficiency improvements would be especially helpful in large infrastructure deployments like 5G towers.
“There is potential for significant energy savings, perhaps as much as 50 percent within large infrastructure installations such as [5G] towers.” – Joshua Western
Putna sees these developments as important first steps toward support for other, newer technologies such as artificial intelligence. He proposes that advanced semiconductor substrates hold promise for offsetting cooling expenses that are now major pinch points in AI DCs.
“A game-changer for [AI data centers] where cooling costs are a primary bottleneck.” – E. Steve Putna
Now, the experts are considering the benefits and the drawbacks of space-based manufacturing. This change follows as they pivot towards specialty materials designed for specialized uses. Anne Wilson, creative research advocate, University of Idaho, emphasizes that microgravity is not the right environment for producing every type of bulk material. Nonetheless, it could provide significant benefits for producing custom materials.
“I don’t think that microgravity is going to be ideal for the manufacture of bulk materials,” – Anne Wilson
“However, niche materials for specific applications might be worth the investment.” – Anne Wilson
Challenges and Future Prospects
Indeed, while the future looks bright for Space Forge’s mission, obstacles still lie ahead. Western admits that there are challenges in understanding the eventual degradation over time and generations of growth in space-produced substrates.
“There will be a level of degradation over time and over generations of growth.” – Joshua Western
He focuses on the positive side, noting that creating value through improving semiconductor performance easily justifies these worries. Should a space-grown substrate increase the yield of high-end AI processors significantly, the initial launch costs would become negligible compared to the total value generated.
“If a space-grown substrate increases the yield of a $10,000 high-end AI processor from 50 percent to 90 percent or allows a quantum computer to function closer to room temperature rather than near absolute zero, the launch cost becomes a negligible fraction of the total value created.” – E. Steve Putna
