UK Startup Space Forge Builds Factory in Space for Semiconductor Materials

Space Forge aims to produce ultra-high-quality semiconductor crystals in microgravity for use in communications, computing, and defense.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

UK-based Space Forge has launched a microwave-sized factory satellite called ForgeStar-1 into orbit on a SpaceX rocket. The company plans to use the microgravity conditions in space to produce semiconductor crystals that are hundreds or thousands of times purer than those made on Earth. These high-quality materials could be used in cutting-edge technologies like quantum computers, AI data centers, and defense infrastructure. However, Space Forge faces regulatory and logistical challenges in getting these space-made materials back to Earth and into the hands of customers.

Why it matters

The semiconductor industry is booming, expected to reach $1 trillion globally by 2027, driven by demand for advanced technologies like AI. Space Forge's space-based manufacturing could provide a new source of ultra-high-purity semiconductor materials to meet this growing need, but the company must overcome regulatory hurdles and prove the reliability of its space-to-Earth supply chain.

The details

Space Forge's ForgeStar-1 satellite was able to generate plasma at 1,000°C, a key step towards producing advanced semiconductor crystals in microgravity. The company says these space-made crystals will have a more regular atomic structure and fewer impurities, enabling "huge gains" in efficiency compared to Earth-made semiconductors. Space Forge plans to send a commercial production system into orbit within two years and sell the materials to aerospace, defense, telecommunications, and data industries.

  • In June 2025, Space Forge launched the ForgeStar-1 satellite into orbit on a SpaceX rocket.
  • Space Forge expects to conclude the ForgeStar-1 mission in a few months and then test its heat shield technology for returning materials to Earth.

The players

Space Forge

A British company based in Cardiff, Wales that is developing a space-based factory to produce ultra-high-quality semiconductor crystals.

Joshua Western

The CEO and co-founder of Space Forge.

Jessica Frick

A former researcher at Stanford University's XLab who has since co-founded Astral Materials, an in-space manufacturing company based in the US.

Matthew Weinzierl

The senior associate dean at Harvard Business School who has written on the business and economics of space.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Space offers an unparalleled industrial base compared to Earth.”

— Joshua Western, CEO and co-founder of Space Forge (CNN)

“Until the industry can show a reliable, high-cadence return from low orbit of these materials, the barrier of adoption will be very high.”

— Jessica Frick, Co-founder of Astral Materials (CNN)

“I don't foresee any widescale commercial viability in the next decade, but it's worth experimenting with and investing in these possibilities.”

— Matthew Weinzierl, Senior associate dean at Harvard Business School (CNN)

What’s next

Space Forge plans to test its heat shield technology for returning materials to Earth after the conclusion of the ForgeStar-1 mission in the coming months.

The takeaway

Space Forge's efforts to manufacture high-purity semiconductor materials in the microgravity of space could provide a new source of critical components for cutting-edge technologies, but the company must overcome significant regulatory and logistical hurdles to make space-based manufacturing commercially viable.