Key Takeaways
- Space Forge has opened a £13 million National Microgravity Research Centre at Swansea University, supported by the UK Space Agency.
- The facility will serve as a base for scaling semiconductor production from low Earth orbit.
- This development reinforces Wales’ position in the UK’s semiconductor supply chain, projected to reach a US$1 trillion market by 2030.
New Research Centre Launches in Wales
Space Forge, a Welsh space technology firm, has inaugurated its National Microgravity Research Centre at Swansea University, marking an important step in its in-space manufacturing strategy. The £13 million facility is partially funded by the UK Space Agency through its Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund and aims to promote the advancement of microgravity materials.
The new centre features a dedicated clean room incubation bay and advanced tools for semiconductor processing and characterization. It will support Space Forge’s hybrid manufacturing approach, where semiconductor seed wafers are initially grown in low Earth orbit and later returned to Earth for further refinement and scaling.
This development follows a significant year for Space Forge, which successfully launched ForgeStar-1 in June 2025, the first British-built satellite designed for in-space manufacturing. By year’s end, ForgeStar-1 successfully generated plasma in orbit, providing valuable mission data for future microgravity production efforts.
Joshua Western, the CEO and co-founder of Space Forge, highlighted the importance of this new facility: “When we secured this funding in 2023, we aimed to advance microgravity materials and create opportunities for other space companies. Being based at CISM gives us access to exceptional semiconductor resources and a skilled community to accelerate our efforts.”
Situated within the CSconnected semiconductor cluster in South Wales, the new hub enhances the region’s contribution to the UK’s semiconductor supply chain, which is anticipated to grow significantly, targeting a US$1 trillion market by 2030.
Dr. Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, underscored the project’s significance: “The completion of the National Microgravity Research Centre exemplifies the goals of our Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund—constructing robust infrastructure that fortifies the UK’s space economy and enhances our ability in critical technologies.” He commended Space Forge for its ambitious advancements, from launching the first British-built in-space manufacturing satellite to establishing a premier facility at Swansea University. This investment is pivotal in positioning Wales and the UK as key players in the semiconductor manufacturing of the future.
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