Since the late 1960’s, we have been learning the advantages of manufacturing in space and how to go about doing it – how materials behave, what equipment is needed and which markets will immediately present the largest demand.

We are now identifying products that represent potential commercial booms for those who come manufacture on the Axiom Station. The Internet opened a world of software applications and Axiom’s microgravity platform opens a world of manufacturing applications. The possibilities are as unlimited as the minds of entrepreneurs and scientists.

• Fiber optics
• Higher-strength, lower-weight alloy products
• Satellites
• Biomedical research components such as protein crystals
• Biological tissues, including human organs
• Microencapsulation

Fiber optics pulled in Earth’s gravity (right) vs. those pulled in microgravity (left). Smooth surface avoids signal scatter and clear fiber allows for faster transmission. Credit: NASA

Advantages Of Manufacturing In Space

• Control of convection
• Elimination of sedimentation
• Diffusion allows otherwise immiscible materials to be intermixed
• Larger, higher-quality crystals
• Near-absolute vacuum of space allows for pure materials and objects
• Vapor deposition can be conducted layer by layer without defects
• Surface tension produces perfect spheres
• Sunlight can be focused to melt materials