Space Forge is a UK-based pioneer company founded in 2018. It’s a mission to fundamentally change the makeup of the supply chain for advanced electronics and pharmaceuticals. The firm leverages the extraordinary environment of space to develop ultra-efficient, next-generation electronics. It creates ultrafast optical networks and transformative materials for pharmaceutical discovery. The orbital furnace is now switched on for the ForgeStar-1 satellite. This monumental milestone gets it one step closer to living up to its ambitious goals.
In December, Space Forge’s first experimental orbital furnace was successfully activated, creating a continuous plume of super-hot plasma. This unique technology provides crystal growth conditions approaching the ideal, which we can achieve in microgravity. This breakthrough opens important new avenues for development of new, high performance power devices. Co-founder and CEO Joshua Western fields Josh explains why harnessing crystal growth in space can benefit humanity. He explains that, due to the uniform environment provided by microgravity, the crystals grow more consistently.
The Technology Behind Orbital Manufacturing
Space Forge’s orbital furnace isn’t just a technological novelty. It will be a first for any free-flying commercial satellite. This state of the art continuous flow furnace produces seed crystals. These crystals serve as substrates for the growth of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, or silicon carbide. These materials are key enablers of high-performance power devices. They power everything from 5G networks to artificial intelligence data centers.
Western goes into greater detail about the advantages of growing crystals in space here. He states, “On Earth, you have trouble that, perhaps, some crystals grow around the interior of the reactor and not in other parts because the process between hot and cold is influenced by gravity.” Moreover, the efficacy of the microgravity environment to inhibit convection allows for a consistently consistent deposition area.
Moreover, the decreased nitrogen presence in outer space makes the process of crystal growth more favorable. According to Western, “If you’re worried about nitrogen interfering with your growth process, on Earth [in a vacuum chamber] nitrogen might be present at a concentration of around 10 to the -11. In space, above 500 kilometers altitude, it’s naturally present at 10 to the -22.” And, indeed, this huge difference in the environmental conditions might provide better crystal quality.
Future Plans and Testing
The orbital flights that Space Forge have flown to date have been to test their return technology. This year, the company wants to keep improving its processes with more in-depth tests. The ForgeStar-1 satellite has been selected to deploy a new variety of heat shield technology during the vehicle’s de-orbit maneuver later this year. This intricate maneuver is a demonstration of the orbital furnace’s ability to reliably produce the perfect manufacturing environment. This vacuum environment is essential for the chemical reaction needed to produce the large superconductor crystals.
Space Forge’s vision is to manufacture high-performance materials in space for use on Earth. From as little as one kilogram of space-grown semiconductor material, manufacturers on Earth could theoretically produce tonnes of high-performance material. Such technological developments have the potential to be 20-40 percent more efficient at switching compared to their Earth-grown alternatives.
E. Steve Putna highlighted the implications of this technology for energy savings, especially within large infrastructure installations like 5G towers: “There is potential for significant energy savings, perhaps as much as 50 percent.” That would be a game changer for today’s AI data centers where high cooling costs serve as one of the primary bottlenecks.
Challenges and Considerations
While the possible applications of Space Forge’s technology seem periodically promising, industry professionals are calling for restraint about its actual usage. Anne Wilson remarks that while microgravity may not be ideal for manufacturing bulk materials, “niche materials for specific applications might be worth the investment.”
No one ever said it was simple Matt Francis brings another complexing layer to the discussion by tackling what ultimately drives the cost. He notes that while prices for semiconductor wafers have decreased significantly over time, “I remember paying $20k a wafer in the early days. We are down in the hundreds of dollars range in volume markets like power.” The logistics and financial viability of sending materials into space remain challenging. As he puts it, “While the cost of space is going down, it’s not going down faster than the cost of producing wafers.”
As Space Forge continues its experimental flights and develops its orbital manufacturing capabilities, it remains crucial to balance technological innovation with economic feasibility.