Orbital Matter and EnduroSat Plan 2028 In-Space Manufacturing Mission

Orbital Matter and EnduroSat plan to conduct an in-space manufacturing mission in 2028. The companies intend to demonstrate Orbital Matter’s 3D-printing technology by making rigid booms in orbit to support a 5 kW solar array.

Key details

• The planned solar array measures about 5 meters in length.
• The mission targets applications for orbital data centers, which require power generation in space.
• Orbital Matter’s Replicator 2 demonstration produced a bonded 32.5-centimeter structure and partially deployed a solar array along one boom.
• Replicator 2 flew on SpaceX’s Transporter-17 rideshare in July aboard an EnduroSat spacecraft bus.
• Orbital Matter is raising financing and plans to expand its team and production capacity.

Orbital Matter’s Replicator 2 produced a bonded structure measuring 32.5 centimeters.

Why it matters

The Replicator 2 demonstration tested both in-space fabrication and partial deployment of a solar array along a printed boom. The planned mission would apply that work to a larger array intended for orbital data-center applications.