IN A LANDMARK moment for the UK space sector and advanced materials science, Cardiff-based Space Forge has shipped ForgeStar®-1 – made in Wales and the UK’s first In-Space Advanced Manufacturing (ISAM) mission – to the U.S. ahead of launch later this year.
As a next generation materials manufacturer, Space Forge is harnessing the unmatched conditions of space – microgravity, extreme temperatures, and a vacuum environment – to produce materials that are impossible to make on Earth.
These advancements have wide-reaching applications in semiconductors, quantum computing, clean energy, and defence technologies. Research suggests that manufacturing these materials in space could reduce CO2 emissions by 75% in high-value infrastructure – delivering breakthroughs in security, defence, and climate-focused innovation.
ForgeStar-1 will also test the mechanics of the Pridwen shield – Space Forge’s innovative heat shield designed to facilitate safe, reusable satellite re-entry.
This historic mission follows Space Forge becoming the first company to be granted a UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) licence for ISAM, cementing its leadership in the field and unlocking a new era of sustainable, scalable manufacturing in orbit. ForgeStar®-1 will prove that high-performance semiconductor materials can be manufactured in space and safely returned to Earth.
Joshua Western, CEO and Co-founder of Space Forge, said: “This is the moment we’ve been working towards. This upcoming in-orbit mission is more than just a test flight – it’s a critical step toward building an entire infrastructure that can support us back on Earth with space-made materials.
“With this mission laying the groundwork, the next is all systems go for commercial manufacturing – returning materials that will transform entire industries.”
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans: “Space Forge is a real space success story, providing more than 60 highly skilled technical roles and supporting another 1000 in the immediate supply chain, and we are delighted to be supporting them to realise their huge ambitions.
“It was fascinating to see the work ongoing at Space Forge recently and I wish them the best of luck for the launch of ForgeStar-1.”
ForgeStar®-1’s shipment isn’t just a box being loaded onto a plane – it’s the start of a bold new chapter in industrial innovation, one that positions the UK at the forefront of the in-space manufacturing revolution.
