WASHINGTON – Sierra Space on Dec. 4 announced agreements with two companies to study the use of Dream Chaser vehicle and space station technology to support microgravity manufacturing.
Sierra Space signs a memorandum of understanding with Astral Materials and Space Forge, a U.S. subsidiary of UK-based Space Forge, to explore the use of Sierra Space’s technology in developing semiconductors in space. It was announced that.
“Sierra Space’s mission is to build a LEO economy that benefits life on Earth. With these new agreements, Sierra Space CEO Tom Bice said in a statement. We can get one step closer.” “We need to harness microgravity to create a strong space economy, and to do that it is important to build relationships with commercial companies with the best expertise in their respective technology fields.”
Astral Materials and Space Forge are both early-stage companies pursuing technology to manufacture semiconductors in microgravity environments. Proponents of developing semiconductors in microgravity argue that this environment allows for improved production of semiconductor crystals.
“The advantages of semiconductor manufacturing in LEO are clear. Earth’s gravity poses a significant barrier to rapid, high-yield semiconductor production,” said John, then a professor at Stanford University and now CEO of Astral Materials. So concludes the report from the 2023 Workshop on Semiconductor Manufacturing in Orbit, led by Jessica Frick, an expert in technology.
“Our technology uses microgravity as a manufacturing tool that can only be accessed in space,” Frick said in a statement about the partnership with Sierra Space. “This partnership with Sierra Space is a great opportunity to focus on our strength in microgravity crystal growth.”
Under the agreement, Astral Materials will work with Sierra Space to design projects that can fly on Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser aircraft. The agreement could also include collaboration on how to incorporate semiconductor manufacturing technology into the systems Sierra Space is developing for the commercial space station.
Under a separate contract with Sierra Space, Space Forge will work on technology and “proof-of-concept missions” for semiconductor manufacturing in space. This includes potential collaboration on how to incorporate semiconductor manufacturing into Sierra Space’s space station systems.
SpaceForge in September opened an office on Florida’s Space Coast specifically focused on semiconductor manufacturing in space, looking to take advantage of new federal investment in domestic semiconductor production.
“Space Forge is eager to play an important role in the development of the U.S. semiconductor industry, especially in line with CHIPS and science law,” Space Forge President Michelle Fleming said in a statement regarding the opening of the Florida office. . “By using space as a unique laboratory, we aim to produce the highest quality semiconductor materials that will greatly benefit the U.S. defense, communications, automotive, and other critical infrastructure industries.”
Sierra Space isn’t the only commercial space station developer SpaceForge works with. In October, it announced an MOU with Voyager Space to explore a range of space-based manufacturing applications. Voyager is the primary partner of the Starlab commercial space station.
