UK Startup Achieves Breakthrough In Semiconductor Manufacturing In Space

In a groundbreaking achievement, Space Forge, a U. K.-based aerospace startup, has successfully created plasma, or superheated gas, aboard a commercial satellite, marking a significant step toward manufacturing semiconductors in space without human intervention. This feat is crucial, as semiconductors require extremely precise conditions to produce, and the microgravity environment of space is deemed superior to that of Earth for their manufacturing.

The reasons behind this superiority are multifaceted, but a key factor lies in how silicon behaves in microgravity – it’s easier to get the material to adhere to the structure needed to make a semiconductor. This achievement builds upon previous work conducted on the International Space Station, but with a critical distinction: Space Forge’s demonstration was accomplished uncrewed, on an entirely commercial spacecraft.

Clayton Swope, deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notes that “this demonstration shows that semiconductor crystal manufacturing can happen in space just using machines.” Space Forge CEO Joshua Western emphasizes that the company’s work proves the right environment for semiconductor manufacturing “can be achieved on a dedicated, commercial satellite – opening the door to a completely new manufacturing frontier.” Space Forge launched its satellite, ForgeStar-1, in June, which features a microwave-sized factory equipped with a furnace that reached temperatures ← →