Space manufacturing is a killer app of low cost access to space. Microgravity facilitates the manufacture of a diverse array of very economically valuable products.
Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, fibre optics, carbon nanotubes & 3D printed organs. https://fiftyyears.substack.com/p/varda-space-industries
Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, fibre optics, carbon nanotubes & 3D printed organs. https://fiftyyears.substack.com/p/varda-space-industries
Pharmaceutical research, development and production would benefit from better protein crystallization for structure-based drug development; high quality protein assembly; better production of amorphous therapeutic compounds.
Pharma companies have partnered with ISS for research.
Pharma companies have partnered with ISS for research.
Semiconductors: Ultra vacuum of space facilitates thin film manufacture.
Wakeshield project manufactured thin film semiconductors 10,000x better than earth made.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009457650000148X?via%3Dihub
Upcoming experiment: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-to-demonstrate-first-of-its-kind-in-space-manufacturing-technique-for-telescope-mirrors
Latest gen silicon wafers cost > $130K/kg.
Wakeshield project manufactured thin film semiconductors 10,000x better than earth made.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009457650000148X?via%3Dihub
Upcoming experiment: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/nasa-to-demonstrate-first-of-its-kind-in-space-manufacturing-technique-for-telescope-mirrors
Latest gen silicon wafers cost > $130K/kg.
Fibre optics: ZBLAN has a theoretical attenuation 2 OOM > silica fibre optics:
https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/11276/112760R/Breaking-the-silica-ceiling--ZBLAN-based-opportunities-for-photonics/10.1117/12.2542350.short?SSO=1
It could reduce by 15x the # of required repeaters. Deployed on the trans atlantic cable, would save $100M.
Gravity renders earth manufactured ZBLAN unperformant.
https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/11276/112760R/Breaking-the-silica-ceiling--ZBLAN-based-opportunities-for-photonics/10.1117/12.2542350.short?SSO=1
It could reduce by 15x the # of required repeaters. Deployed on the trans atlantic cable, would save $100M.
Gravity renders earth manufactured ZBLAN unperformant.
Carbon nanotubes: single walled are 200x > steel (strength), lighter than paper and conductive.
Long nanotubes can't be manufactured on earth due to gravity induced convection:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234915551_Free_fall_plasma-arc_reactor_for_synthesis_of_carbon_nanotubes_in_microgravity
Price: up to $100K/kg.
Long nanotubes can't be manufactured on earth due to gravity induced convection:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234915551_Free_fall_plasma-arc_reactor_for_synthesis_of_carbon_nanotubes_in_microgravity
Price: up to $100K/kg.
Organ printing: A human knee meniscus has been printed on the ISS:
https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/nscrypt-3d-bff-bioprinter-in-space-test/
Organ printing in space doesn't require expensive and toxic scaffolding required on Earth.
Objects requiring perfect spheres can be easily made due to surface tension of liquids in space.
https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/nscrypt-3d-bff-bioprinter-in-space-test/
Organ printing in space doesn't require expensive and toxic scaffolding required on Earth.
Objects requiring perfect spheres can be easily made due to surface tension of liquids in space.
Cost of access to space has fallen over time. Starship intends to drop the $/kg cost to under 1% of current levels (Musk has a target of "~$10/kg".
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1258580078218412033?s=20
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1258580078218412033?s=20
Varda Space industries is working on in orbit manufacturing:
https://blog.varda.com/
Cc: @elidourado, @binarybits, @zebulgar.
https://blog.varda.com/
Cc: @elidourado, @binarybits, @zebulgar.