Aegis Aerospace, previously known as Aevum, is collaborating with United Semiconductors to produce computer chips in outer space. This partnership will make use of Aegis’s autonomous launch and space logistics service to conduct the manufacturing process in a zero-gravity environment.
The process, called Space Foundry, uses a new technology which can produce superior quality chips that are more power-efficient and faster than those made on Earth. The technology leverages the unique environment of space, including the microgravity and vacuum conditions, to produce semiconductors that are thinner, purer, and more efficient. This approach allows for the creation of smaller chips with more processing power per unit area, which is essential for evolving technologies like AI, quantum computing, and 5G.
The partnership aims to overcome the current global chip shortage that has been causing disruption in several key industries, including automotive and electronics. It also marks a significant step towards the commercialization of space, with the potential to revolutionize the way microelectronics are produced.
Aegis Aerospace is a leader in autonomous launch services and the logistics of space supply chain management. The company’s autonomous launch system, called RAVN X, is designed to deliver payloads to orbit within hours of a call, providing rapid response capabilities. This system will be used to deploy the manufacturing technology into space.
United Semiconductors, on the other hand, is a consortium of major semiconductor manufacturers from around the world. This partnership with Aegis Aerospace represents the consortium’s first venture into manufacturing in outer space.
The first launch of the Space Foundry is scheduled for 2023, and the partnership hopes to start manufacturing chips in space by 2024. This could potentially lead to a new era of space-based manufacturing, not only addressing the current chip shortage crisis, but also paving the way for more advanced technologies to be developed in space.
While the cost of space-based manufacturing is currently higher than terrestrial production, the partners believe that the superior quality, increased efficiency, and potential to scale up production will make this venture economically viable in the long run.
This partnership underscores the growing interest in space as a new frontier for technological innovation and commercial activity. It reflects the increasing recognition that the unique conditions in space offer potential advantages for manufacturing and other processes, which could drive significant advancements in technology and economic growth.
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