In-space manufacturing

Project aim

To research and develop technologies that can have an important effect on orbital assembly and manufacturing. In addition, it will identify opportunities and risks with space manufacturing operations, and potentially prototype some systems that demonstrate applications relevant to the project topic.

Project background

With recent commitments across several space agencies and companies worldwide to explore space with renewed vigor, there has never been a more pressing time to develop space-based Assembly and Manufacturing processes. However, as space debris becomes an ever-larger concern, a sustainable approach is vital in order to ensure the health of the space environment.

Space Assembly allows for the rapid creation of space-based assets whilst circumventing constraints imposed by the launch environment. Removing the launch step allows for the development of spacecraft using less expensive materials and structural testing, along with removing the limiting factor of the fairing size on the size of the spacecraft structure, allowing for much larger satellites. Furthermore, without needing to wait for a suitable launch window, space assembly allows for the construction and launch of spacecraft for very time-critical scientific missions to timescales that aren’t possible with the current spacecraft development paradigm.