DCUBED, the German NewSpace hardware manufacturer, has announced that it is to demonstrate in-space manufacturing as part of a demonstration mission expected in Q1 2024. This will be the first time ever that a product has been manufactured in free space.
The demonstration will see the production of a roughly 30-centimetre, 3D-printed truss structure, and is designed to prove the efficacy of in-space manufacturing and highlight the game-changing potential that such capabilities promise to deliver for production in orbit.
“Payload limitations and costs are real barriers hindering the use of space for the benefit of mankind. There is an urgent need for large structures in orbit to support an ecosystem providing services as diverse as the internet from space, IoT, and earth observation. The establishment of our new key business division shows that we at DCUBED always want to push the boundaries of what is possible, enabling our partners and customers to think big in space. Our demonstration of manufacturing in free space promises to revolutionize in-space fabrication and repair of space structures and trigger a paradigm shift in how we approach the production of space hardware, opening many doors which we can’t even imagine right now. This is a truly disruptive enabling technology.” Dr. Thomas Sinn, CEO & Founder, DCUBED
The imminent demonstration is a key milestone in DCUBED’s march towards establishing in-space manufacturing capabilities for larger space structures, especially for SmallSat applications, due to be demonstrated by the company in the next couple of years. This program includes an in-orbit experiment of truss-structure manufacturing in 2025 and an in-orbit mission demonstration, in 2026, for multiple kilowatts (KW) SmallSat solar arrays.
An established space mechanism builder with 15 products already in orbit, DCUBED, who is headquartered just outside Munich, Germany, is in the process of establishing an office in Broomfield, Colorado to place itself within the key United States space market – the state rapidly becoming a hugely important and thriving hub for the burgeoning New Space industry.
Click here to learn more about DCUBED In-Space Manufacturing Capabilities.
