Aegis Aerospace CEO Stephanie Murphy and United Semiconductors Chief Technologist Dr. Partha Dutta officially pen contract to advance the manufacturing of semiconductors in space via Aegis Aerospace’s AMMP platform. (Photo courtesy Aegis Aerospace/United Secmiconductors)
HOUSTON—Space and defense technology company Aegis Aerospace Inc. recently announced a groundbreaking partnership with United Semiconductors LLC to pioneer semiconductor manufacturing in space.
The collaboration follows Aegis Aerospace’s recent grant agreement with the Texas Space Commission to develop an in-space manufacturing platform for advanced materials in low Earth orbit (LEO), the company said in a release announcing the partnership.
“We are thrilled to join forces with United Semiconductors,” said Stephanie Murphy, CEO of Aegis Aerospace, in the release. “Together, we will accelerate the in-space manufacturing of essential semiconductor materials, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space technology.”
The Aegis Advanced Materials Manufacturing Platform (AMMP) aims to showcase the unique properties and manufacturing capabilities afforded by the microgravity environment of LEO. By leveraging United Semiconductors’ established expertise as a provider to the U.S. Department of Defense, the partnership is expected to expedite the commercialization of semiconductor manufacturing in space. As a result, Aegis Aerospace anticipates creating new job opportunities in Texas and offering this innovative service globally.
“United Semiconductors is honored to collaborate with Aegis Aerospace,” stated United Semiconductor Chief Technologist Partha Dutta, Ph.D., in the release. “Our decades of experience in semiconductor manufacturing, including successful experiments aboard the International Space Station, combined with Aegis Aerospace’s expertise in building and operating space infrastructure, will create a powerful partnership.”
Together, Aegis Aerospace’s Advanced Manufacturing Platform and United Semiconductors products are believed to be the first dedicated commercial facility for in-space materials production, the release said.
Aegis Aerospace Inc., a small business formed in 2021 by combining Alpha Space and MEI Technologies, provides technical services and turnkey solutions to government and commercial customers in the space and defense industries. The company’s experience include technology development, engineering services, commercial space services, and other space and defense products and services.
“Our Space Testing as a Service (STaaS™) business model is turnkey, which enables our customers to focus on their science and new technology development,” the company said in the release.
United Semiconductors LLC (USLLC), a small business with its semiconductor substrate production facility in Los Alamitos, California, has been supplying the U.S. defense sector and U.S. national laboratories with critical substrates for a variety of applications since 2005.
According to USLLC, it is the only domestic company with the capability for 6-inch diameter substrate production of III-V binary semiconductors, and the only global company with the capability for large area substrate production of III-V ternary semiconductors. In recent years, USLLC has expanded its crystal growth capabilities to establish In-Space manufacturing of bulk crystals while leveraging the benefits of microgravity and space environment.
“We specialize in bulk crystal production of ternary and binary III-V semiconductor compounds,” the company’s website states. “We deliver polished, double-sided wafers with diameters ranging from 25mm to 150mm (1-6 inches) and thicknesses from 0.5mm to 10mm. We assist researchers with their material synthesis and crystal growth requirements for custom materials in small quantities.”