Cardiff, Wales — U.K.-based aerospace startup Space Forge has raised £22.6 million (equivalent to approximately $30 million) in a Series A funding round to advance its mission of manufacturing high-performance materials in space. The funding will allow the company to scale its development of satellite-based production capabilities and launch its next-generation spacecraft.
Space Forge aims to revolutionize material manufacturing by exploiting the unique properties of the space environment. Microgravity, near-perfect vacuum, and extreme thermal conditions can vastly improve the quality of advanced materials—especially semiconductors and specialty alloys—compared to production conditions on Earth. These space-manufactured wafers and materials could offer improved performance for use in electronics, optics, and aerospace technologies.
The company plans to develop small, reusable satellites known as ForgeStar platforms. These platforms will serve as autonomous in-orbit factories that will launch from Earth, manufacture materials in low Earth orbit, and return them to the planet. Space Forge previously launched a test vehicle with Virgin Orbit in 2023, which failed due to a launch anomaly, but the company remained undeterred in its plans and iterated its designs.
The Series A round brings together new and existing investors, including Type One Ventures, World Fund, and Space Fund, which share in Space Forge’s mission of creating sustainable and high-value infrastructure in orbit. The funding will support the development of ForgeStar spacecraft, expand manufacturing capabilities in Cardiff, and accelerate R&D for new materials.
Space Forge’s unique approach to space-based manufacturing is also closely aligned with environmental goals. By producing certain materials in space, companies can avoid energy-intensive and polluting manufacturing processes commonly used on Earth. Moreover, the high value of these space-made materials could justify the costs associated with space launches and re-entry systems.
CEO and co-founder Joshua Western said the investment will help “unlock new material frontiers that can solve the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to the next generation of computing.” CTO and co-founder Andrew Bacon added that Wales is proving to be a dynamic hub for space innovation and green technology.
As governments and private companies continue to invest in space commercialization, Space Forge’s model exemplifies the evolving nature of orbital industry. With its recent funding success, the company is one step closer to demonstrating the economic and scientific case for in-space manufacturing.
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