Made In Space

Made In Space
Name	Made In Space
Type	Private
Founded	2010
Founders	Aaron Kemmer
Headquarters	Mountain View, California
Industry	Aerospace, Additive Manufacturing, Space Technology

Made In Space is an American aerospace manufacturer and technology company known for developing additive manufacturing systems for use in extraterrestrial environments. The company pioneered in-space 3D printing hardware and processes intended for use aboard crewed spacecraft and orbital platforms, and engaged in technology development spanning hardware, materials, and operations for long-duration missions. Its work intersected with major organizations and programs in the commercial spaceflight and civil space sectors.

History

Founded in 2010 by Aaron Kemmer with early ties to NASA Ames Research Center and incubators in Silicon Valley, the company emerged during a period of growth in commercial spaceflight alongside firms such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and Orbital Sciences Corporation. Early milestones included participation in programs run by NASA Johnson Space Center, collaborations with Lockheed Martin, and contracts under the Small Business Innovation Research program. The firm advanced technology demonstrations on platforms linked to International Space Station, interacting with operators such as NASA and integrators like Northrop Grumman and Boeing. Its trajectory included commercial engagements with prime contractors on projects related to Lunar Gateway, Artemis program, and proposals for missions associated with European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Technology and Products

Made In Space developed hardware for additive manufacturing in microgravity, including extruders, thermal control systems, and build chambers compatible with the environmental control systems used by Orbital Reflight Laboratory-class platforms and modules developed by Thales Alenia Space and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The company engineered systems to process thermoplastics, thermosets, and composite feedstocks used by aerospace integrators like Airbus Defence and Space and material science groups at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Stanford University. Products emphasized redundancy, radiation-tolerant electronics similar to designs from Ball Aerospace and Honeywell Aerospace, and interfaces aligned with standards from NASA Technical Standards System and mission architectures employed by United Launch Alliance and Arianespace.

Projects and Missions

Operational demonstrations included payloads deployed to the International Space Station under programs managed by NASA Johnson Space Center and manifested through logistics providers like SpaceX Dragon and Northrop Grumman Cygnus. Missions showcased in-space fabrication of tools and replacement parts, aligning with objectives of NASA Technology Demonstration Missions and elements of the Commercial Resupply Services contracts. The company proposed concepts for on-orbit manufacturing integrated into modules designed by Bigelow Aerospace and habitat concepts in development by Bigelow Aerospace, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Boeing CST-100. It engaged with lunar-focused projects tied to NASA Artemis, in-space demonstrations addressing needs outlined by NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and solicitations from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Partnerships and Contracts

Made In Space entered partnerships with a range of aerospace and research institutions, collaborating with NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Johnson Space Center, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and private firms including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, SpaceX, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. Funding and contract vehicles included awards under Small Business Innovation Research, cooperative agreements with NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts, and task orders procured by primes on programs with United Launch Alliance and Department of Defense research offices. Industry collaborations also involved materials suppliers and laboratories at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Caltech, University of Colorado Boulder, and Purdue University.

Manufacturing Facilities and Process

The company operated terrestrial facilities in Mountain View, California and engaged in facility partnerships for prototype fabrication with machine shops and composite shops used by primes such as Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and Raytheon Technologies. Processes combined terrestrial additive manufacturing techniques used in facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base research centers with flight-qualification workflows adopted by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and testing regimes consistent with standards from American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and ASTM International. Qualification testing encompassed vibration, thermal vacuum, and radiation exposure protocols often applied by teams from Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.

Funding and Corporate Structure

Initial funding and capital came from venture investments common to Silicon Valley-era aerospace startups, with investors and backers overlapping networks that included firms associated with Sequoia Capital, angel investors tied to Y Combinator-adjacent circles, and strategic investments by aerospace firms. Contract revenue derived from agreements with NASA, primes such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, and commercial customers pursuing on-orbit manufacturing capabilities. Corporate governance included executive leadership with backgrounds in NASA and industry, and organizational structures balancing research and development teams collaborating with academic partners at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Category:Aerospace companies of the United States