Britain's initial 'space factory' launches into orbit for a test mission.

      A manufacturing satellite built in Britain successfully entered orbit during its inaugural test mission. The Cardiff-based startup Space Forge launched the probe, named ForgeStar-1, as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-14 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday. According to the startup, this launch marks the UK’s first effort to send a spacecraft into orbit for the purpose of creating new materials in the unique environment of space.

      Joshua Western, the CEO and co-founder of Space Forge, described it as a beginning of a "new era" in materials science and industry. “We’ve built and launched Britain’s first manufacturing satellite, and it’s operational in orbit, which is a significant technical milestone,” he stated. “Our next challenge is demonstrating that we can create the optimal conditions for manufacturing in space.”

      The satellite, which is the size of an oven, aims to take advantage of space conditions to develop “supermaterials” that are considered impossible to create on Earth. Western recently compared the technology to a sourdough starter, which serves as a small yet powerful foundation for producing something much larger. “Our satellites exploit the zero-gravity, ultra-cold, vacuum environment of space to produce tiny crystals of a higher quality than can be achieved otherwise,” he explained to TNW in April.

      Once brought back to Earth, these crystal "seeds" can be used to cultivate larger crystals that can serve as the foundation for ultra-efficient computer chips, potentially powering everything from data centers to telecommunications networks. Space Forge asserts that these semiconductors could reduce the charging time for electric vehicles by half. The technology may also be applicable for creating new metal alloys or pharmaceutical drugs.

      At least, that is the plan. Space Forge has yet to produce materials in space and has spent the last four years developing ForgeStar-1 to validate its technology. The company encountered a setback in 2023 when its initial satellite was lost due to an anomaly with Virgin Orbit’s launcher, which prevented it from reaching orbit and destroyed the payload.

      With its first satellite now in orbit, the company intends to begin producing its inaugural materials in space. However, according to Western, ForgeStar-1 will intentionally be incinerated in Earth's atmosphere after finishing its experiments, as the company has not yet obtained the necessary certification to bring it back to Earth. Nevertheless, the company pointed out that this burn-up will demonstrate that even if the re-entry system were to fail, the satellite would completely disintegrate. The mission will also provide crucial test data, telemetry, and validation required for future in-space manufacturing ventures.

      Space Forge's upcoming satellite, ForgeStar-2, is planned to manufacture materials in space and safely return them to Earth. The startup has recently secured $30 million in funding led by the NATO Innovation Fund to expedite its development.