Space Forge and United Semiconductors Partner to Develop Space-Grown Semiconductor Supply Chains

British in-orbit manufacturing startup Space Forge and U.S.-based United Semiconductors have signed an MoU to jointly develop supply chains for space-grown semiconductor materials, with target applications in quantum computing, power electronics, sensors, and advanced displays.

The partnership combines Space Forge’s in-space manufacturing platform, ForgeStar, with United Semiconductors’ expertise in III-V crystal growth, wafer processing, and testing. Together, the companies aim to prove that manufacturing in orbit can deliver higher-performance semiconductor materials than current Earth-based methods.

Why space?

Microgravity, ultra-high vacuum, and extreme temperature conditions in low Earth orbit offer a unique environment for crystal growth and material deposition. 

Advocates say this could reduce defect densities and unlock new material properties vital for next-generation semiconductors. Space Forge successfully tested its ForgeStar-1 satellite earlier this year, a milestone in its plan to manufacture advanced materials in orbit and return 

While previous missions served as proof of concept, this new collaboration explicitly targets market-ready supply chains. The companies will identify candidate materials for in-space processing, establish wafer-handling protocols, and map out commercialization routes. 

The ambition: to deliver substrates and epitaxial wafers that could improve qubit coherence in quantum devices, boost efficiency in GaN and SiC power electronics, and enable higher-performance sensors and specialty displays.

“By aligning our orbital platforms with United Semiconductors’ processing expertise, we’re building the framework for real-world adoption of space-made semiconductors,” Space Forge said in a statement.

What's Next?

If successful, space-grown materials could address bottlenecks in high-performance electronics, particularly as demand surges for quantum computing and EV power systems.

Still, challenges remain. Launch and recovery costs are high, reentry handling is complex, and proving consistent material advantages over decades of terrestrial refinement is far from guaranteed. Regulatory scrutiny is also likely, given the defense and dual-use implications of quantum and III-V semiconductors.

Analysts say the next key milestones will be the return of defect-reduced semiconductor wafers from orbit, independent validation of their performance, and announcements of follow-on ForgeStar missions. Commercial adoption will hinge on whether the materials can deliver both technical superiority and economic viability compared with Earth-based production.

For now, the Space Forge–United Semiconductors partnership marks one of the clearest steps yet toward turning the long-discussed concept of in-space semiconductor manufacturing into an actual market reality.