UK Space agency awards £300k contract to Space Forge
The UK Space Agency has awarded £300k to UK company Space Forge to investigate producing advanced semiconductors in Low Earth Orbit, where the conditions – including microgravity, natural vacuum, and extreme temperatures – can create products that are difficult, expensive, or impossible to manufacture on Earth.
Space Forge's ‘2Forge2Furious’ study will demonstrate how semiconductor seed crystals could be produced commercially, with the aim of improving the efficiency, reliability and power density of high-power electronic devices, including telecommunications, data centre infrastructure, EV charging and quantum computing.
Josh Western, Space Forge CEO and Co-Founder said: “Space Forge is pleased to be a part of this national effort to place the UK at the forefront of in-space manufacturing. UKSA has seen the opportunity that this high potential sector has, and placing a contract such as this is a key indicator of the UK’s support for innovation and growth. Space Forge has proven our technology with the ForgeStar-1, generating plasma on a commercial free flying platform for the first time. This study will allow us to progress that development towards true commercialisation.”
This is one of three contracts to produce materials in space (the other two have been awarded to the drug company BioOrbit and optical fibre firm OrbiSky). The investment is jointly funded by the UK Space Agency’s Sustainability & ISAM and Unlocking Space programmes. The Unlocking Space portfolio supports UK space sector growth by tackling systemic barriers and driving demand, investment readiness, and public sector adoption of space‑based services, data, and technologies. This includes engagement with public and private sector end-users of pharmaceuticals manufactured in microgravity, and identifying interventions which support commercialisation of these products.
