Space Forge, a UK space tech start-up that raised the largest Series A for a UK space company in 2025, has created plasma aboard a commercial satellite for the first time. This development marks a step forward in how advanced materials can be produced, utilizing the microgravity environment.
The achievement centers on a microwave-sized satellite operated remotely from mission control in Cardiff. Engineers successfully activated a compact factory within the satellite, demonstrating that its onboard furnace can reach temperatures of around 1,000°C. This furnace is essential for manufacturing processes, and its successful operation in space represents a fundamental milestone for the company’s mission to validate orbital production.
There are distinct advantages for manufacturing in space. In a weightless environment, semiconductor atoms can align more precisely into highly ordered 3D structures. The vacuum and microgravity conditions allow for the creation of significantly purer materials. On Earth, gravity and atmospheric contaminants can interfere with these delicate processes, but in orbit, materials can reach a level of quality not achievable terrestrially.
“The work that we’re doing now is allowing us to create semiconductors up to 4,000 times purer in space than we can currently make here today,” says Josh Western, CEO of Space Forge.
The potential benefits for technology on Earth are significant. By producing purer components in space, Space Forge aims to improve the efficiency and performance of essential technologies.
Looking ahead, the company plans to build a larger orbital factory with the capacity to produce semiconductor material for 10,000 chips. A critical challenge remains the safe return of these materials to Earth. To address this, future missions will test “Pridwen,” a heat shield named after King Arthur’s legendary shield, designed to protect the spacecraft during atmospheric re-entry.
As space-based manufacturing matures, the environment could be used to produce everything from pharmaceuticals to artificial tissues. The sector is still in its early days, with manufacturing demonstrated on a small scale at the moment. However, proving and scaling the technology opens the door to economically viable products, where materials can be made in space and returned to Earth to benefit all.
Image Credit: Space Forge – Image of plasma generated on ForgeStar-1
References
Space Forge has successfully generated plasma aboard ForgeStar®-1 – a world-first for commercial in-space manufacturing. https://www.spaceforge.com/news/space-forge-ignites-a-new-industrial-era-delivering-world-first-capability-for-orbital-semiconductor-manufacturing
UK company sends factory with 1,000C furnace into space. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62vx0pgyrgo
The Push to Make Semiconductors in Space Just Took a Serious Leap Forward. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-push-to-make-semiconductors-in-space-just-took-a-serious-leap-forward/