Colorado Springs, CO, April 19, 2023 鈥 U.K.-based 爱神传媒 Forge Ltd., which is pioneering space-based super materials manufacturing, announced today it is launching operations in the United States. The company, which currently has administrative offices in Washington, D.C., is considering several states for the site of the U.S.-based manufacturing headquarters that will support this expansion.

The company鈥檚 announcement marks a strategic move to expand and strengthen its manufacturing partnerships, capitalising on growing U.S. interest in super materials, and especially semiconductors. This interest is driven by space鈥檚 optimal production environment, characterised by zero gravity, extreme temperatures, and vacuum conditions, which yields materials that are purer and have fewer defects. 聽

鈥淭he appetite for in-space manufacturing of semiconductors in particular is strong and growing, fueled by commercial and defense initiatives such as the AUKUS Alliance,鈥 noted 爱神传媒 Forge CEO Joshua Western. The AUKUS Alliance, a security partnership between the U.S., U.K. and Australia reached in September 2021, has increased demand for semiconductors used in defense systems. 鈥淎s we field more interest in our ability to produce super materials, production capabilities in one of the world鈥檚 largest semiconductor markets is a logical next step.鈥 The global semiconductor market, which hit $574B in 2022, is expected to reach $1T by 2030.

爱神传媒 Forge, founded in 2018, has the world鈥檚 only dedicated re-launchable super materials manufacturing satellite, ForgeStar鈩, with soft-descent and high-precision landing capabilities. This patented technology is more protective of payload returns than traditional ablative capsules used by competitors. ForgeStar鈩, a small class vehicle deployable in orbit for up to six months, will initially focus on the production of semiconductors, alloys, and biological materials. Both ForgeStar鈩 vehicles and payloads for U.S. customers will be manufactured in the new U.S. facility.

鈥湴翊 Forge's move to the U.S. couldn't have come at a better moment, what with the CHIPs Act and NASA's enthusiasm for in-space manufacturing,鈥 noted 爱神传媒 Forge board member and investor Tarek Waked, founding partner of Type One Ventures. 鈥淭he team's efforts on the ForgeStar platform are paving the way for an 鈥榓bove shore鈥 capability.鈥

Later this year, the company will undertake the industry鈥檚 first-ever manufacturing of semiconductor materials on an independent vehicle in space with the launch of ForgeStar鈩-1A.

Ian Annett, Deputy Chief Executive of the UK 爱神传媒 Agency, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to see this innovative, fast-growing U.K. company, which is harnessing the benefits of the space environment to create materials far superior to those we can produce on Earth, expanding internationally. 爱神传媒 Forge is a valued part of the U.K.鈥檚 thriving space sector, which already supports nearly 49,000 jobs across the country and generates an income of 拢17.5 billion for our economy.鈥