Orbital Matter Achieves Historic First: 3D Printing Rigid Beams in the Vacuum of Space

In a groundbreaking milestone for space engineering, the German startup Orbital Matter has successfully 3D printed the first rigid beam in the vacuum of space. The company’s small satellite, Replicator-2, launched on a SpaceX rideshare mission this summer, carried four specialized 3D printers. Each printer extruded coils of custom resin, cured by ultraviolet light, to create a half-meter long rigid, cylindrical beam. Executives describe this as a first for a free-flying spacecraft in orbit, marking a significant step toward constructing large-scale structures directly in space. The technical methodology relies on a process analogous to mixing cement and water, where resin is extruded and hardened by UV light to form durable structural components. This innovation is critical because future spacecraft, particularly those serving as orbital data centers, will require significantly more electrical power and heat dissipation capabilities. By constructing equipment in orbit, these spacecraft can bypass the tight size constraints of rocket fairings, allowing for larger solar arrays and heat radiators that were previously impossible to launch in a folded state. Jakub Stojek, CEO and co-founder of Orbital Matter, emphasized the strategic importance of this achievement, stating, “Replicator 2 is the first proof that we can simply build the array in space, at whatever size the mission demands.” The company is collaborating with the European Space Agency and Thales Alenia, a leading European satellite builder, to advance this technology. While current large structures in space, such as solar arrays and telescope mirrors, are complex origami-like projects that must be folded for launch and deployed in orbit, in-space manufacturing offers a more efficient and scalable alternative. NASA has previously funded similar efforts, including a 2023 mission with Redwire that tested 3D printing in a vacuum chamber, but Orbital Matter’s success on a free-flying satellite represents a distinct leap forward. Despite some challenges, the mission yielded valuable data. Two of the printers were designed to deploy a flexible solar array, but an anomaly caused one to fail. However, the successful deployment of the boom and the subsequent solar array serves as a crucial proof of concept. Robert Ihnatisin, CTO of Orbital Matter, explained the rationale behind carrying multiple printers: “We preferred to learn in orbit and adapt the software as needed rather than waste years testing every possibility on the ground.” Previous 3D printing efforts in microgravity were limited to the pressurized environment of the International Space Station, making this vacuum test a novel and significant achievement. Looking ahead, Orbital Matter is targeting a demonstration mission scheduled for 2028. This next phase will test a larger version of the printer on a bigger satellite, aiming to deploy a solar array capable of generating 5 kilowatts of power. This is viewed as a stepping stone toward larger deployments of over 100 kilowatts per wing by 2030. The company’s engineers believe that 100-meter booms are feasible, a substantial increase compared to the 20-meter solar arrays used on SpaceX’s Starlink V2 Mini satellites. Orbital Matter, co-founded in 2022 by Ihnatisin and Stojek, has raised a $3 million seed round and is now working with satellite builders to integrate its PADS (printer-assisted deployment system) into future spacecraft designs.