Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is Building a Platform in Space to Benefit Life on Earth, announced two new agreements to further the advancement of manufacturing in the microgravity environments of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Under new Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), Sierra Space will collaborate with both California-based Astral Materials and Florida-based Space Forge Inc, the U.S. subsidiary of U.K.-based Space Forge Limited, on a wide range of semiconductor technologies. 

Astral Materials leverages the microgravity environment of space to grow ultra-high quality semiconductor crystals for advanced chip technologies. Space Forge harnesses free flying manufacturing facilities to produce next-generation materials for commercial industries, national security and research. By working together with these new partners, Sierra Space will create opportunities to scale the commercial space industry through use of new technologies, ultimately bolstering the new LEO economy.

“At Sierra Space, our mission is to create a LEO economy that benefits life on Earth, and these new agreements bring us one step closer,” said Sierra Space CEO, Tom Vice. “To create a strong space economy, we must harness microgravity, and to do that, it’s important to build relationships with commercial companies that have the top expertise in their respective technological fields. That’s how new solutions are developed, and that’s how we reach a common goal.”

The MOU with Silicon Valley-based Astral Materials outlines collaboration on various projects including those related to Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, which could include payload logistics for orbital missions as well as input on design, development, installation and integration of advanced materials and semiconductor manufacturing payloads. Additionally, Astral Materials may work together with Sierra Space to provide input on design and operations aspects of Sierra Space’s space station technology.

“Astral Materials manufactures materials that cannot be made on Earth”, says Dr. Jessica Frick, CEO & Co-Founder of Astral Materials. “Our technology utilizes microgravity as a manufacturing tool that can only be accessed in space. Our philosophy is to partner with leaders in the space industry, like Sierra Space, who are already solving the infrastructure challenges involved in establishing a robust in-space economy. This partnership with Sierra Space is a fantastic opportunity that allows us to focus on our strength: microgravity crystal growth.”

Sierra Space and Space Forge plan to collaborate on both research and development as well as proof-of-concept missions related to semiconductor materials, components, and related technologies to enable in-space manufacturing. The MOU with Space Forge also includes potential for input on Sierra Space’s future space stations in terms of manufacturing facility design and operations concepts.

“Part of our mission is to ensure US economic and national security through sustainable and repeatable semiconductor materials research and manufacturing,” said Michelle Flemming, President of Space Forge Inc.  “Collaborating with Sierra Space, a forward leaning space-industry leader with a successful track record, will make that a reality.”

Click here to learn more about Sierra Space's Microgravity Labs