A Chinese institute has recently concluded ground evaluations of what they've termed a reconfigurable flexible on-orbit manufacturing platform, with the goal of enabling cost-effective large-scale space manufacturing in the future. According to the module's developer, the tests on a “core module” represent a major step forward in combining rigid structures with flexible modules, confirming vital technologies such as rigid-flex connection sealing, rapid inflation, and accurate deployment, and represent progress in the area of intelligent manufacturing.
The reconfigurable flexible on-orbit manufacturing platform project is being spearheaded by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS), which released details about the tests in a statement on November 3. The Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, the Shenyang Institute of Automation, and the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics are also contributing to the project. The provided images suggest the flexible platform has a diameter of about 2 meters. IMCAS describes it as having a "steel skeleton" and a "high-tech fiber skin." Furthermore, it uses ultra-flexible composite materials in an innovative way, which means it "folds tightly during launch, resulting in a compact size. After entering orbit, it inflates and unfolds, forming a large and stable working space."
China has already established a human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) with the construction of its Tiangong space station between 2021 and 2022. The station consists of three rigid modules launched using the Long March 5B rocket. The most recent three-person crew arrived at the outpost on October 31.
However, the IMCAS statement points out that traditional on-orbit platforms are limited by the capacity of launch fairings, are expensive, and difficult to expand in orbit, which makes it hard to conduct large-scale, multi-functional manufacturing operations. The statement also seems to hint at the inclusion of robotic and industrial payloads. “This technology will propel space manufacturing from ‘proof of concept’ to ‘engineering realization,’” said project leader Yang Yiqiang. “In the future, we will be able to directly manufacture and produce in the space environment, truly achieving independent development and utilization of space resources.”
According to the statement, the advancement of inflatable or reconfigurable technologies, as well as related technologies, will open up new opportunities in fields like space biomedicine, special materials research and development, on-orbit maintenance, 3D printing, and providing important technological support for the development of future space infrastructure. IMCAS did not provide information about a number of aspects, such as the anticipated launch date, target orbits, platform mass, or volume.
The test article's estimated two-meter diameter indicates that it is a technology demonstrator rather than a full-size model, and that considerable work and progress will be required before flight. A launch could be made easier in the future by CAS Space, a commercial spinoff from CAS that is about to launch its Lijian-2 (Kinetica-2) kerosene-liquid oxygen launch vehicle.
A conceptual roadmap within the IMCAS statement outlines a plan to move from LEO orbital manufacturing utilizing inflatable cylindrical modules to integration into a "microgravity factory" that supports lunar and deep-space operations. The platform concept's in-orbit rendering also seems to resemble early Starlab renders. The announcement follows the on-orbit testing of a small expandable module aboard the Shijian-19 retrievable satellite mission, which launched in September 2024. The China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a division of China's primary space contractor, CASC, carried out that experiment. CAST was responsible for building the Tiangong space station modules.
China's interest in inflatable modules is consistent with developments such as the BEAM demonstration by Bigelow Aerospace on the International Space Station. A number of companies, including Lockheed Martin and Sierra Space, are testing inflatable habitat technology that could be used in commercial space stations in low Earth orbit after the ISS. The move also aligns with a global focus on on-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (OSAM). Other relevant Chinese initiatives in this field include patents from the Harbin Institute of Technology for an inflatable, rigid capsule for lunar caves, as well as research on expandable pressurized cabins and a space inflatable deployment module. The IMCAS test seems to represent a preliminary step for China toward achieving OSAM capabilities.