Space Forge, a British in-orbit manufacturing venture, has appointed technology veteran Atul Kumar to establish a semiconductor business in the United States. This move significantly boosts efforts to strengthen domestic chip production and lessen dependence on foreign suppliers.
Kumar, a materials scientist with over two decades of experience, will oversee the development of manufacturing operations under Space Forge’s U.S. subsidiary. The focus will be on supporting both terrestrial and in-space growth of semiconductor substrates, as announced on April 10th. This initiative aligns with the U.S.'s increased focus on reducing reliance on foreign chips due to supply chain vulnerabilities, national security concerns, and trade tensions.
The CHIPS and Science Act, enacted in 2022, provides substantial funding for reshoring advanced semiconductor production and fostering domestic innovation. “Our ultimate goal is to bring in-space manufacturing of advanced semiconductor materials,” Kumar stated, “but we also intend to have a terrestrial capability and post-processing capability in the U.S. that would enable the supply of very high-quality semiconductor substrates.”
Space Forge aims to utilize the unique conditions of space—microgravity, vacuum, and extreme temperature gradients—to create materials with superior crystal quality. “That could enable a whole class of new and emerging applications in [radio frequency], power, photonics — maybe even quantum computing,” he explained. “We see ourselves as a material supplier that enables … applications that were previously thought to be very difficult or even impossible terrestrially.”
Later this year, Space Forge plans to demonstrate its in-space manufacturing capabilities with ForgeStar-1, a spacecraft also designed for testing reentry technologies. This mission is designed to burn up in the atmosphere. ForgeStar-0, the company’s first spacecraft, was unfortunately lost in the failed Virgin Orbit launch from the U.K. in January 2023. A subsequent mission, planned for later in the year, has been postponed.
Michelle Flemming, leading Space Forge’s U.S. expansion, mentioned plans for two parabolic flights this year, beginning in May, to test technology in simulated microgravity. Kumar anticipates the venture could begin selling a product developed under sub-orbital conditions within the next few years. “It may not reap the benefits of low Earth orbit manufacturing, but we see that as a stepping stone,” he added. In 2021, Space Forge secured $10.2 million in funding to develop its in-space manufacturing business, which also focuses on high-performance alloys, ultra-pure optical fibers, and advanced coatings.