The German space company DCUBED has announced that it will be the first company in the world to demonstrate production in space. In a mission in early 2024, an approximately 30-centimeter-high rod structure is to be manufactured in space using 3D printing. DCUBED aims to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of manufacturing technologies in orbit. The long-term goal is to produce viable large-scale structures that can be manufactured directly in space.
“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 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,” says Dr. Thomas Sinn, CEO & Founder, DCUBED.
The upcoming demonstration is a critical step for DCUBED to establish in-space manufacturing capabilities for larger space structures, particularly for SmallSat applications. The company plans additional demonstrations in the next few years, including an in-orbit experiment to manufacture launch structures in 2025 and a mission demonstration in 2026 for solar-powered SmallSat systems of several kilowatts.
DCUBED, based near Munich, Germany, already has 15 products in orbit and is currently establishing an office in Broomfield, Colorado, to position itself in the central U.S. space market. This state is increasingly becoming an important hub for the emerging NewSpace industry.
The efforts of companies like DCUBED show that the future of space technology promises exciting developments, especially in the area of 3D printing in space. The coming years could bring groundbreaking advances in this sector.
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