Make in Space for Earth

This vertical’s projects will explore the advantages of micro-gravity environments in space to manufacture better materials and parts. We will explore how bulk metallic glass (BMG) and BMG composites can be made and foamed in micro-gravity conditions. We expect more uniform foaming with less drain-issues and hence better control over the foam. This sub-vertical will also explore to see whether better defect-free crystals can form in CVD processes. These explorations will provide a manufacturing pathway allowing low earth orbit factories to be setup in the future. The idea, in general, is then to take needed raw materials to space factories, process them and convert them into needed shapes and microstructure, and transport the finished goods back to earth for use. These explorations could thus pave way for commercial exploitation of the micro-gravity environment of space. Expansions of this vertical in the future are very many, such as silicon wafers, optical fibers, and biomanufacturing (e.g. organ printing) in space.