• Miniature space factory to produce high-purity semiconductors
• Factory furnace reaches 1000°C in orbit

Cardiff-based company Space Forge is turning science fiction into reality by sending a microwave-sized factory into orbit, where tests showed its furnace can operate and reach temperatures of around 1000°C.

The company aims to manufacture semiconductors for use in electronics on Earth, such as communication infrastructure, computers, and transportation.

Space conditions, including weightlessness and vacuum, allow atoms to align with high precision without contamination, making these materials purer and performing better than those produced on Earth.

Josh Western, CEO of Space Forge, said, "We can now produce semiconductors in space with up to 4000 times the purity achievable on Earth, which will be used in 5G towers, EV chargers, and the latest aircraft."

The miniature factory was launched on a SpaceX rocket last summer, and the team has been testing its systems from Cardiff's control center.

Veronica Viera, payload operations lead, shared an image from inside the furnace showing glowing plasma at 1000°C, describing the moment as one of the most exciting of her life.

The company now plans to build a larger space factory capable of producing semiconductor material for 10,000 chips, while testing techniques to return the materials to Earth using a heat shield for re-entry.

Experts note that space manufacturing is now a reality, with potential economic benefits upon returning materials to Earth, opening opportunities in industries such as pharmaceuticals and artificial tissues, marking a promising step toward a space-based industrial future.