Cardiff-based space manufacturing company Space Forge has secured £10m in funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) to accelerate the development of a pioneering satellite return system designed to support the future of in-space manufacturing.
The funding, awarded through ESA’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) and backed by the UK Space Agency’s investment in ESA, will support a mission to design, build, launch and demonstrate Pridwen, a deployable heat shield technology intended to enable the safe return of materials manufactured in orbit.
Named after the legendary shield of King Arthur, Pridwen has been developed to address one of the key challenges facing the emerging in-space manufacturing sector: reliably returning high-value products from space to Earth.
Unlike conventional heat shields, which typically rely on rigid structures or thermal protection tiles, Pridwen is designed to unfold during atmospheric re-entry. The larger protective surface area helps shield spacecraft from extreme heat and pressure while reducing overall system weight and improving reusability.
Space Forge said the mission will bring the technology to full commercial readiness, enabling more frequent and reliable cargo return capabilities that are critical to scaling in-space manufacturing operations.
The company specialises in manufacturing advanced semiconductor materials in microgravity, where the unique conditions of space allow materials to be produced with characteristics that cannot be replicated on Earth.
“We’re thrilled to be awarded the GSTP funding to help bring Pridwen to commercial readiness. This proprietary technology is key to enabling the safe return of our materials to Earth, which in turn unlocks the future of in-space manufacturing.
“With our ForgeStar®-1 mission we proved we can create the right manufacturing environment for next-generation semiconductor materials in space. With this newly funded mission, we can prove our ability to deliver products to market.”
– Joshua Western, CEO and co-founder of Space Forge.
The funding announcement follows the company’s recent ForgeStar®-1 mission, known as The Forge Awakens, during which Space Forge successfully generated plasma aboard its satellite platform. The achievement marked what the company described as a world first for commercial in-space manufacturing and demonstrated the ability to create and control the conditions required to manufacture next-generation semiconductor materials in low Earth orbit.
As the first free-flying commercial semiconductor manufacturing platform operated in space, ForgeStar®-1 provided proof that advanced materials can be produced in orbit. The next stage of development focuses on establishing a reliable method of returning those materials to Earth.
According to Space Forge, Pridwen provides the missing link between orbital manufacturing and commercial delivery, enabling routine recovery of space-manufactured products.
UK Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “Today’s investment shows our commitment to keeping Britain at the forefront of the fast-growing space sector. Space Forge is developing technology that could make bringing materials back from space more like a regular delivery service than a one-off mission.
“We are proud to back a British company leading the way in a new area of space technology.”
The company ultimately aims to establish a hybrid manufacturing model that combines orbital crystal growth with terrestrial processing. Semiconductor seeds produced in space would be returned to Earth and scaled for commercial production, enabling performance characteristics beyond those achievable through conventional manufacturing techniques.
A successful demonstration of Pridwen would provide proof of concept for routine spacecraft recovery and could help pave the way for commercial in-space manufacturing services and regular delivery of high-value materials from orbit to customers on Earth.
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