The German startup Orbital Matter says its satellite has 3D printed a half-metre-long rigid beam in orbit, which executives described as a first for a free-flying spacecraft and a step toward constructing large structures in space.
The beam was produced aboard the company's small satellite, Replicator-2, which launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission this summer with four printers onboard. Each printer can create a rigid, cylindrical beam by extruding coils of resin that are cured by ultraviolet light, a process the company compares to cement and water.
Large structures in space today are folded up and deployed once in orbit, a difficult engineering task, which makes the idea of manufacturing and assembling them in space attractive. NASA has funded some efforts, including a mission with Redwire that 3D printed structural beams in a vacuum chamber in 2023 but never got off the ground. The technology matters because future spacecraft will need to generate more electrical power and radiate more heat, particularly if they are to serve as orbital data centres, while still fitting inside a rocket fairing.
Two of the printers were designed to deploy a flexible solar array. An anomaly caused one printer to fail, but the beam that was created successfully deployed the array and was an important proof of concept. Previous 3D printing in microgravity had been limited to the pressurised environment of the International Space Station.
"Replicator 2 is the first proof that we can simply build the array in space, at whatever size the mission demands," said Jakub Stojek, CEO and co-founder of Orbital Matter.
"That's why we put so many printers on this single satellite. We preferred to learn in orbit and adapt the software as needed rather than waste years testing every possibility on the ground," CTO Robert Ihnatisin told TechCrunch.
The boom's length is limited by the amount of resin the satellite carries; the company's engineers believe 100-metre booms are feasible. For comparison, SpaceX's Starlink V2 Mini satellites, among the most powerful mass-produced satellites in orbit, use solar arrays that are 20 metres long.
Orbital Matter was co-founded in 2022 by Ihnatisin, previously of 3D printing company FormLabs, and Stojek, and raised a $3 million seed round. It is partnering with the European Space Agency and satellite builder Thales Alenia, with whom it collaborated on Replicator-2. Orbital Matter is working on another demonstration mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, that will test a larger printer on a bigger satellite; the company hopes it will deploy a solar array that can generate 5 kW, a “stepping stone” toward larger deployments of 100 kW or more per wing by 2030. The company is also working with satellite builders considering incorporating its printer-assisted deployment system to extend solar panels, antennas or other components.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The first 3D printed structure produced by a free-flying spacecraft suggests satellites could build their own large components in orbit rather than launching them folded up.
- In-orbit construction could help future spacecraft generate far more electrical power and handle heat, a need the company links to plans for orbital data centres.
- The next test, a larger printer due to fly in 2028, will show whether the approach scales beyond a half-metre beam.
Background
Spacecraft are built on Earth and must fit inside a rocket's fairing, so large solar arrays and antennas have to be folded and deployed once in orbit, a complex manoeuvre. 3D printing in microgravity has previously been tested aboard the International Space Station, but inside its pressurised modules. Orbital Matter is pursuing printing structural parts in the vacuum of space, citing NASA-funded work with Redwire that printed beams in a vacuum chamber in 2023 but never launched.
What to Watch
- The 2028 demonstration mission, and whether the larger printer successfully deploys a 5 kW solar array on a bigger satellite.
- Whether satellite builders adopt Orbital Matter's printer-assisted deployment system for solar panels, antennas or other components.
- How the company applies lessons from the printer anomaly on Replicator-2 as it adapts software for future missions.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedJakub Stojek said, “Replicator 2 is the first proof that we can simply build the array in space, at whatever size the mission demands.”TechCrunch: ““Replicator 2 is the first proof that we can simply build the array in space, at whatever size the mission demands,” said Jakub Stojek, CEO and co-founder of Orbital Matter.”
- SupportedRobert Ihnatisin said, “That’s why we put so many printers on this single satellite. We preferred to learn in orbit and adapt the software as needed rather than waste years testing every possibility on the ground,” to TechCrunch.TechCrunch: ““That’s why we put so many printers on this single satellite. We preferred to learn in orbit and adapt the software as needed rather than waste years testing every possibility on the ground,” Orbital Matters CTO Robert Ihnatisin told TechCrunch.”
- SupportedOrbital Matter says its satellite 3D-printed the first rigid beam in orbit.TechCrunch: “Orbital Matter 3D printed the first rigid beam in the vacuum of space. A satellite built by the German startup Orbital Matter satellite 3D printed a half-meter long beam out of a custom plastic material, in what executives called a first for a free-flying spacecraft in orbit”
- SupportedReplicator-2 produced a half-metre-long beam that successfully deployed a solar array.TechCrunch: “Still, the boom that was created successfully deployed the solar array, and is an important proof of concept.”
- SupportedThe beam was a step toward constructing large structures in space.TechCrunch: “in what executives called a first for a free-flying spacecraft in orbit, and a step toward constructing large structures in space.”
- SupportedReplicator-2 launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission this summer with four printers aboard.TechCrunch: “The company’s small satellite, Replicator-2, was launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission this summer, with four of the company’s 3D printers onboard.”
- SupportedEach printer can make a rigid cylindrical beam by extruding resin coils cured with ultraviolet light.TechCrunch: “Each printer can create a rigid, cylindrical beam by extruding coils of resin that are cured by an ultraviolet light”
- SupportedNASA funded efforts including a Redwire mission that printed structural beams in a vacuum chamber in 2023 but never got off the ground.TechCrunch: “NASA has funded some efforts at the idea, notably a mission with the company Redwire that 3D-printed structural beams in a vacuum chamber in 2023 but never got off the ground.”
- SupportedAn anomaly caused one of the printers to fail, while the boom that was created successfully deployed the solar array.TechCrunch: “Two of Orbital Matter’s printers are designed to deploy a flexible solar array, but an anomaly led one of the printers to fail. Still, the boom that was created successfully deployed the solar array”
- SupportedPrevious 3D printing in microgravity had been limited to the pressurised environment aboard the International Space Station.TechCrunch: “Previous 3D-printing efforts in microgravity were limited to the pressurized environment onboard the International Space Station.”
- SupportedThe company’s engineers believe 100-metre booms are feasible; Starlink V2 Mini satellites use 20-metre solar arrays.TechCrunch: “the company’s engineers believe that 100 meter booms are feasible. For comparison, SpaceX’s Starlink V2 Mini satellites — among the most powerful mass-produced satellites in orbit — uses solar arrays that are 20 meters long.”
- SupportedA demonstration mission scheduled for 2028 will test a larger printer on a bigger satellite; the company hopes it can deploy a 5 kW solar array as a step toward deployments of 100 kW or more per wing by 2030.TechCrunch: “scheduled for launch in 2028, that will test a larger version of its printer on a bigger satellite that the company hopes will deploy a solar array that can generate 5 kw of power. That will be a “stepping stone” toward larger deployments of 100+ KW per wing by 2030.”
