UK-based advanced electronics venture Space Forge has launched the first of what could become a steady trail of active start-ups making active progress toward restoring manufacturing to space. In December, the company successfully activated an orbital furnace on-board its ForgeStar-1 satellite, creating a controlled stream of super-hot plasma. Under these unique conditions, the innovative process yields near-perfect semiconductor crystals in space. It’s the only development that leverages the unique conditions naturally found in the microgravity environment.
The ForgeStar-1 satellite produces seed crystals for applications on cooler Earth. It particularly aims at achieving substrates of gallium and aluminum nitride or silicon carbide. These space-grown crystals might lead to better high-performance power devices, a key enabler of modern technology from the power grid to personal electronics. According to Joshua Western, co-founder and CEO of Space Forge, “There is potential for significant energy savings, perhaps as much as 50 percent within large infrastructure installations such as 5G towers.”
The Mechanics of Crystal Growth in Space
Space Forge’s ground-breaking orbital furnace is designed to create and sustain the perfect manufacturing environment required for the process of producing single crystals. Its design enables the satellite to produce extraordinarily uniform microgravity conditions, critically important for the optimal development of semiconductor materials. Through access to the unusual microgravity conditions only available in orbit, Space Forge is working to address challenges that cannot be solved back on Earth.
“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. In space, above 500 kilometers altitude, it’s naturally present at 10 to the -22.” This extreme roughness reduction of nitrogen concentration would result in better quality crystals with superior electrical characteristics.
The company is preparing to launch more tests later this year to further refine its technology. Our goal is to develop a robust process for generating useful in-space resources. This paradigm-changing discovery will accelerate innovation in ultra-efficient, ultra-fast, next-generation electronics and optic networks.
Future Applications and Market Potential
We’ve already seen space-grown crystals move quickly beyond the theory, with the former showing up to 100 times higher electron mobility than their Earth-grown counterparts. This development has the potential to increase cross-cultural switching efficiency by 20-40%. That’s what makes it so critical to AI and data center use cases. E. Steve Putna describes this potential: “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.”
The in-orbit manufacturing market is seeing huge growth! Technologies similar to those being developed by Space Forge are forecasted to drive its value beyond $28.19 billion by 2034. As demand for strong, lightweight, energy-efficient electronics skyrockets, space-grown materials could prove even more important.
Some experts are wary about the scalability of this technology. Anne Wilson notes that while microgravity may not be ideal for the manufacture of bulk materials, “niche materials for specific applications might be worth the investment.” This view highlights the fact that, when evaluating wider use-cases for space-grown crystals, pursuing advanced, niche applications is key.
Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead
Since the beginning of 2023, Space Forge has flown several times on orbit to demonstrate its return technology. This should be a testament to their great dedication to improving their game. The ForgeStar-1 satellite is set to deploy a novel heat shield during its de-orbit maneuver later this year, marking another step toward achieving its ambitious objectives.
As with any pioneering venture, challenges remain. Western acknowledges that there will be degradation over time and over generations of growth: “There will be a level of degradation over time and over generations of growth.” This important consideration further underscores the need for research and development to maximize the longevity and usability of space-grown crystals.
While some industry experts remain skeptical about the cost-effectiveness of producing semiconductor materials in space compared to terrestrial methods, advancements in technology may shift these perceptions. Matt Francis reflects on the evolution of wafer production costs: “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.” While not immediately available, his insights imply that as costs go down even more, space-grown materials may be more competitive.
