The Made In Space Archinaut programme reached another significant milestone when, during recent testing at Northrop Grumman’s Space Park facilities in Redondo Beach (California), its core additive-manufacturing and robotic-assembly technology suite was successfully operated in a space-like environment.

These operations took place in a thermal vacuum chamber, simulating the extreme temperature and vacuum pressure of
what a satellite in Low Earth Orbit would be exposed to.

The completion of this ground-based testing raises the technology readiness level of the Archinaut platform and demonstrates that core Archinaut technologies are now prepared to operate in space.

The Archinaut platform aims to provide mission-critical space-optimised structures during orbit that would otherwise be too large to launch, using “on-demand adaptable manufacturing”.

With the ‘marriage’ of additive manufacturing and robotic assembly, Archinaut-enabled structures can include: expansive solar array systems for significant power improvements; extended antenna for remote sensing, telecommunications or scientific exploration; large-scale baseline interferometry exploring multiple investigative applications; large apertures for parabolic reflectors and array backplanes; and reconfigurable ‘persistent’ platform structures.

Made in Space (www.madeinspace.us) said: “Previous work on Archinaut’s power system and our extended structure-manufacturing and robotic system has greatly contributed to this current progress in our Archinaut Programme.

"Last year, we announced the development of Archinaut’s power system, which could have significant benefits for small satellite development.

"The power system being developed can initially provide up to 5kW of solar power and is enabled by our Archinaut in-space manufacturing and assembly technology.”