British company Space Forge has achieved a world first by generating plasma in a 1,000°C (1,832°F) furnace aboard its ForgeStar-1 satellite in low Earth orbit – a major breakthrough for the commercial manufacturing of semiconductors in space.
Manufacturing in microgravity should lead to semiconductors with fewer defects than those made on Earth, where gravity drives convection in molten materials, causing semiconductor crystals to grow unevenly.
"By harnessing the vacuum and microgravity of space, we are unlocking material properties that are simply impossible to achieve on the ground," says Space Forge co-founder Andrew Bacon.
The ForgeStar platform is designed to host high-tech production lines in space before returning them to Earth.
By producing far cleaner semiconductor crystals, Space Forge says the energy involved in producing components for telecoms and power-grid infrastructure could be cut by up to 60%.
"Our mission has always been to use the unique environment of space to improve life on Earth, and today we have proved that the ‘Made in Space’ seal will soon be the gold standard for high-performance technology," adds CEO Josh Western.
"Generating plasma on orbit represents a fundamental shift, it proves that the essential environment for advanced crystal growth can be achieved on a dedicated, commercial satellite - opening the door to a completely new manufacturing frontier."
This achievement comes at a critical time, with demand for high-efficiency chips surging with the rise of 5G, electric vehicles and AI.
Space Forge’s success suggests that semiconductor supply may no longer be confined to Earth’s surface, but rather extend hundreds of miles above it.
