Revolutionising the Defence Supply Chain through Space-enabled Materials & Manufacturing Processes (M&MP)

Space Forge制造的半导体材料将使新型低尺寸、低重量和低功耗（SWaP）微电子器件的开发成为可能，这些器件具有多种国防应用和优势。预计的空间生长材料将使功率密度提高3倍，从而使系统和设备的传输效率提高50%，延长组件的使用寿命，使系统质量减半，以及其他好处。总的来说，目标是发展一种新的主权能力，有可能彻底改变英国国防供应链，同时提供更广泛的国家安全利益。与拥有50多年专业知识的诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司合作，我们将为高效半导体器件降低新供应链的风险。通过这种方式，Space Forge旨在缓解现有的供应链问题，帮助英国国防部维持现有的支持机制，同时创建新的支持机制。由于在现有项目期间缺乏发射机会，项目产出的空间制造材料的特性数据不足以证明效率的提高。该项目的地面测试和设计开发结果将告知如何利用空间环境生产比地面生产质量更高的材料。

The semiconductor materials manufactured by Space Forge will enable the development of new state-of-the-art low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) microelectronic devices which have a multitude of Defence applications and benefits. The projected space grown materials will increase power densities by \>3x, leading to increased transmission efficiency of 50% of systems and equipment, extended lifetime of components and halve the mass of systems, among other benefits. Overall the aim is to develop a new sovereign capability that has the potential to revolutionise UK Defence supply chains whilst also providing wider national security benefits.Partnering with Northrop Grumman, who have 50+ years of expertise delivering discriminating microelectronics, we will de-risk a new supply chain for highly efficient semiconductor devices. Through this, Space Forge aims to mitigate existing supply chain issues, helping UK MOD to sustain existing support mechanisms and creating new ones simultaneously.The project output will not be sufficient characterisation data of space made materials to prove the increase in efficiency due to the lack of launch opportunity within the existing project period. The project's on the ground testing and design development outputs will inform how the space environment can be exploited to produce materials with superior quality than if made terrestrially.