Space Forge secures CAA licence for UK manufacturing satellite
Space Forge has secured a launch licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for its ForgeStar-1 satellite, a milestone in its mission to revolutionise space-based manufacturing.…
March 14, 2025
Space Forge has secured a launch licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for its ForgeStar-1 satellite, a milestone in its mission to revolutionise space-based manufacturing.
Scheduled for launch later this year, ForgeStar-1 will be the first UK ISAM (In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing) satellite to reach orbit, marking a historic achievement for both the company and its home nation, Wales.
This licence approval clears the way for Space Forge’s inaugural in-orbit demonstration mission, a crucial step toward building a scalable, reusable platform for producing high-performance semiconductor materials in space.
By leveraging the unique conditions of space – such as microgravity, vacuum, and extreme temperature variations – Space Forge aims to create materials that cannot be manufactured on Earth.
These innovations hold potential in sectors including semiconductors, quantum computing, clean energy, and defence.
Studies suggest that space-based manufacturing could cut CO2 emissions by 75% in high-value infrastructure, advancing breakthroughs in security, climate solutions, and defence applications.
The ForgeStar-1 mission will also test the functionality of the Pridwen shield, Space Forge’s advanced heat shield technology designed to enable the safe and reusable return of satellites from space.
Colin Macleod, Head of the UK Space Regulator at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “This is a ground breaking licence for the UK space sector that paves the way for in orbit manufacturing and the amazing potential of this new industry.”
“Through our work with innovators in the space sector we are enabling exciting new space missions and supporting the industry to grow.”
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle highlighted the significance of this achievement, saying: “Space Forge’s license is another resounding vote of confidence in the UK’s space sector, which has secured record levels of investment through the European Space Agency in the last quarter of 2024.”
“Developing technologies that would be otherwise impossible to manufacture on Earth, in orbit, demonstrates how space will play a vital role in boosting economic growth and propelling forward our Plan for Change.”
Joshua Western, CEO and Co-Founder of Space Forge, added: “This licence award is a key mission milestone and we’re looking forward to demonstrating how our scalable, reusable manufacturing platform can drive progress and benefits for us on Earth. Space Forge is breaking new ground being the first UK company to achieve a licence for in-orbit manufacturing.”
