The New Industrial Frontier: On-Orbit Manufacturing And One Company's Role In Making It A Reality

Associated Press

23-04-2025

By JE Insights, Benzinga
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - April 23, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - No matter the origin of operations, the theoretical capacity of manufacturing endeavors will always be limited by on-ground considerations, such as labor availability, skill gaps, supply chain disruptions and regulatory frameworks. However, the terrestrial nature of this paradigm has never been under question - that is, until recently. With advancing technologies opening new frontiers, particularly in the realm of orbital manufacturing, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTI) could be poised to deliver a radical new solution.
Enter the world of on-orbit manufacturing. In prior ages of innovation and industrialization, the recurring motif has always been the earth, the literal ground zero. As such, manufacturing would invariably be confined to - and limited by - the rules of the ecosystem, from ambient temperatures to the rate at which objects fall. But by changing not just the protocol of manufacturing, but the entire canvas, suddenly, new possibilities emerge.
Even better, in the case of Ascent Solar, the company doesn't just offer speculative moonshots designed to excite the exclusive domain of the theoretical – it says it has already laid the groundwork for solar production in orbit.
The Innovation And Advantage Of Orbital Manufacturing
Contrary to the complex lexicon utilized by other industries, the term orbital manufacturing is thankfully intuitive: it describes the process of producing goods in space rather than on earth. At first blush, the concept sounds unnecessarily complex and therefore expensive - until one realizes that space manufacturing can leverage unique conditions like microgravity, near-perfect vacuums and extreme temperatures.
From a fundamental perspective, advocates of orbital manufacturing assert that certain conditions in space facilitate the development of products that offer superior quality than those of terrestrial origin.
'Space is a much better place to do almost any industrial process,' said Space Forge CEO Joshua Western in an interview with The Guardian. 'We live on a planet where we're weighed down by gravity. We made ovens, refrigerators and the vacuum pump to help manufacture products on earth, but if you go to space, you get those benefits for free.'
Another pivotal edge of orbital manufacturing is production hampered by fewer defects, particularly for complex processes such as semiconductors. To be fair, McKinsey & Company notes that such defects are relatively rare in the chipmaking space. However, an important attribute is the natural vacuum of the final frontier, which could help facilitate thin-layering techniques. These unique protocols help reduce or eliminate gases during production, potentially leading to the development of smaller semiconductor structures.
McKinsey acknowledges that if space-based research and development could develop such advanced semiconductors, the benefits could be massive. As circumstances stand now, the industry represents one of the largest on the planet, with total sales projected to hit $725 billion by this year. Moreover, research in the arena will clock in at about $90 billion.
Since tech giants compete heavily for the most incremental of advantages, an overhaul in terms of the underlying structure of semiconductors could change the game entirely. In particular, one key subsegment of the semiconductor industry – solar photovoltaics (PV) - could see tremendous advances, which is where Ascent Solar Technologies comes in.
The Case For Solar PV In Orbit
At its core, solar PV represents a family of devices that convert sunlight into electricity using semiconductors – a process known as the photovoltaic effect. Through this process, solar panels are able to power everything in space from satellites to space stations.
Obviously, to develop these panels, engineers construct them terrestrially. By logical reasoning, these complex PV systems must survive violent launches to reach orbit, adding to the total mass involved, along with increased costs and challenges.
A key advantage, then, of on-orbit manufacturing is convenience. Should solar cells and panels be constructed in space, the process eliminates the logistical burden of surviving launches. From a financial and business planning perspective, orbital manufacturing may yield greater predictability, keeping the accounting department happy.
From an engineering standpoint, this new approach permits the production of lighter, higher-efficiency panels with custom geometries. In other words, specialized panels no longer need to be 'folded' to accommodate orbital deployment. Instead, these products can be built to spec, in space.
Of course, money always talks - and the conversation is only getting louder. According to Ascent's research, market demand for on-orbit power could reach 1.8 megawatts per year by 2030 - and that's not including large-scale projects like Starlink.
Even more compelling, the U.S. Department of Defense requires more advanced solutions, particularly drones, satellites and forward bases that are undergirded by superior power-to-mass ratios. Ascent may be uniquely positioned to help advance the next step in the broader space economy, drawing intrigue toward its capabilities and acumen.
Ascending Above The Competition
Based in Thornton, Colorado, Ascent is one of the leading providers of innovative, high-performance, flexible thin-film solar panels. These specially designed systems were manufactured for scenarios where traditional rigid solar panels don't work. Commanding a rich portfolio of patents, Ascent has quickly risen to its place in the industry thanks to its lab-to-fab experiences, particularly in the realm of lightweight panels.
Specifically, the company participated directly in a U.S. Air Force-backed feasibility study, contributing critical technical guidance for a conceptual thin-film PV manufacturing system designed to operate in orbit. Working alongside Above: Orbital Inc., Ascent helped map out a compact system architecture capable of producing up to 500 kilowatts per year - all within the internal dimensions of a single space station module.
At the heart of the process is Ascent's proprietary vacuum-deposition technique, a method already optimized for space conditions. Rather than force components to survive the stresses of launch, Ascent's system processes raw materials in orbit, unlocking higher-efficiency output with fewer structural trade-offs.
Projected power-to-mass ratios approach 830 watts per kilogram in space, a substantial improvement over legacy systems. Ascent reports that the form factor flexibility of its design also eliminates the need for folding mechanisms or reinforced frames, enabling custom geometries tailored to mission-specific requirements.
Backed by a robust patent portfolio – including coverage of sequential deposition techniques, multilayer back contact systems and integrated thermal management – Ascent holds key intellectual property directly aligned with orbital production. Leveraging engineering extending far beyond the conceptual phase and into the tangible domain, the underlying innovations offer significant relevancies for both governmental and commercial endeavors.
A New Industrial Frontier
Ascent is helping shape a new manufacturing paradigm – one that trades the constraints of gravity and launch logistics for flexibility, efficiency and scale. It says its core technology aligns directly with the demands of space-based infrastructure, offering a streamlined path from concept to deployment.
With government-backed validation, a growing patent portfolio and clear relevance to both defense and commercial markets, Ascent isn't waiting for the future to arrive - it's helping to forge it.
For more information about Ascent Solar Technologies and its role in orbital manufacturing, click here.
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