UK Space Forge launches new recycling technology for satellites produced in space

Image Credits: Space Forge

Welsh aerospace manufacturing startup Space Forge has developed a satellite relaunch system to quickly recover and reuse spacecraft it has produced in space.

The new system, which includes thermal insulation and a water vehicle designed to smooth the spacecraft’s landing, will be incorporated into the company’s space-based satellite platform called Forgestar.

Unlike the heat shields used on SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule, which need to be replaced after each mission, SpaceForge says it developed a large-scale “Pridwen” heat shield to dissipate heat generated in the atmosphere. The shield, made from a high-temperature alloy, is designed to fold into the launcher to lift and lift the wheel as it returns to Earth.

One of the ways Space Forge differentiates itself from its competitors is its eschew of climate heat shields.

“It’s an old technology,” explained Andrew Bacon, SpaceForge’s co-founder and chief technology officer. “The idea of ​​thermal insulation, something that eats itself when it comes back, that’s it. [1950s] technology”

The company has developed an unmanned water vehicle called “Fielder” that is self-propelled and soft-landing under the Forgestar. The idea is to reduce the pressure on the sensitive components in the vehicle as much as possible and also reduce the need to renew the spacecraft.

Space Forge is one of the few companies racing to be among the first to find materials made in space. The five-year-old startup has big plans to make semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, certain compounds and more. Astronauts on the International Space Station have confirmed that these materials can be produced in orbit, but mass production – and return to Earth – has yet to be achieved.

“The space station is a great laboratory, but it’s not a factory,” Bacon said. Also, manufacturing in space is not as easy as converting the most used Dragon capsule, cargo and crew vehicle in history, into an orbital factory. The capsule simply isn’t optimized for it — in terms of cost or engineering, he explained.

“SpaceX has done great things in reducing launch costs, but they haven’t really reduced return costs,” he said.

In addition to cost, the dragon’s reentry mechanics can cause problems for some materials, such as live biological cultures. Bacon spoke to biologics customers who lost three years of growth trials due to the shock of the landing.

The company says it is gearing up to launch its inaugural mission this year. That mission, which does not carry any customer fees, will demonstrate Space Forge’s manufacturing techniques and prove other key technologies, including safe return technology. While Bacon declined to reveal the launch date or launch supplier, he said the company has chosen a US launch supplier with a proven flight heritage.

The company first tried to launch a spacecraft on Virgin Orbit’s January mission from Cornwall, UK, but that payload — and everything else — was lost when Virgin’s launcher ran into an anomaly and failed to reach orbit.

Space Forge 2021 has closed a $10.2 million seed round led by US-based Space Fund and Type One Ventures and Berlin-based Global Fund. Space.VC, Starbridge Venture Capital, Quiet Capital, Kencoa Aerospace, Trousdale Ventures, Newable Ventures, Dylan Taylor and FJ Labs also participated.

As for the company’s next funding round? “Expect an announcement soon,” Bacon said.