Space Forge secures £7.9M funding
UK Space Agency funding will help bring in-space manufacturing to the compound semiconductor industry
Cardiff-based Space Forge, which is pioneering space-based materials manufacturing and return technology, has been awarded almost £8 million from the Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) administered by the UK Space Agency.
With a total project value of £13 million, which will be reached through match contributions, this investment will enable Space Forge to establish a first-of-its-kind National Microgravity Research Centre - driving advanced material research and production while fostering the growth of Wales’ space sector.
Space Forge's National Microgravity Research Centre will play a pivotal role in advancing in-space manufacturing research, with a primary focus on inorganic crystal structures grown in microgravity conditions for use in electronics.
For the compound semiconductor industry, in-space manufacturing offers unique advantages, such as microgravity and vacuum conditions, that can lead to the creation of semiconductors with superior performance and reduced defects compared to those manufactured on Earth. The Space Forge, team says that it can achieve 20,000x lifetime extensions for electronics made this way.
The project's advanced material research will encompass two key areas: the development and optimisation of payload semiconductor growth tools to enhance growth conditions for various advanced compound semiconductor substrates; and the creation of post-processing capabilities aimed at maximising the potential of materials returned from low Earth orbit missions.
In addition to research and development facilities, the centre will offer open access and support for space companies, establishing itself as a central space hub for the burgeoning space industry in the area.
Space companies will gain access to the centre’s state-of-the-art equipment, clean rooms, electronics labs, and payload bays - providing a platform for advancing research and development efforts.
