Overview
- Space Forge reported generating plasma and reaching about 1,000°C inside its microwave-sized furnace, with an image transmitted from the unit to mission control in Wales.
- The startup describes the achievement as a first for a commercial free-flying satellite outside a space station, while releasing limited technical detail.
- Planned next steps include mapping plasma behavior in microgravity to guide the design and operation of future manufacturing satellites intended to return materials to Earth.
- Target materials include gallium nitride, silicon carbide, aluminium nitride and diamond for uses in power electronics, communications, high-performance computing and defense.
- ForgeStar-1 is expected to burn up but will attempt tests of the Pridwen heat shield and on-orbit aerodynamic control as Space Forge pursues recoverable platforms scaled for thousands of chips per flight, with the CEO claiming potential purity gains of up to about 4,000×.