Microgravity crystal-growth furnace
Furnace hardware for growing semiconductor crystals in weightlessness, aimed at materials with fewer defects than Earth-grown ones.
Why it matters
Crystal defects limit how well chips and power electronics perform. If growth in microgravity yields cleaner crystals at useful scale, it is one of the clearest business cases for manufacturing in orbit.
How the technology works
On Earth, gravity drives convection in molten material, which leaves flaws as crystals form. Astral's furnace grows crystals where that convection is nearly absent.
The company is testing on short microgravity flights before longer orbital runs.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction