NASA taps Astral Materials to conduct parabolic flight tests for space-based semiconductor manufacturing
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected Astral Materials, Inc. in Mountain View, Calif., to conduct parabolic flight tests to validate a microgravity-assisted crystal growth furnace designed for silicon semiconductor manufacturing in space. The effort is part of a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) IGNITE Phase II contract and supports the CHIPS for America initiative under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2021.
The company aims to use space's low gravity environment to address challenges in semiconductor crystal growth, a process critical to producing high-performance electronics. Parabolic flights, which simulate microgravity for short periods, will allow Astral Materials to assess key furnace technologies before future demonstrations on the International Space Station or other commercial spacecraft.
Astral Materials will test the furnace’s ability to confine molten metal in microgravity, evaluate its cooling system, and validate thermal models. The experiment will also assess hardware functionality, including an arc melting system, cameras, and sensors. While the primary goal of the flight is hardware validation, researchers will analyze silicon samples synthesized during the test to establish baseline performance metrics for future space-based production.
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The company does not anticipate significant improvements in crystal quality from the initial flight but expects the data to refine future experiments. Key metrics include furnace operability, repeatability, and the correlation between gravitational conditions and crystal formation. NASA will independently evaluate pre- and post-flight silicon samples to assess any material improvements.
The furnace must be capable of heating silicon to at least 1,420 degrees Celsius for short durations in microgravity. It will also incorporate real-time monitoring through sensors and cameras, contain molten silicon at a fixed point, and produce spherical silicon samples.
The project is scheduled to run through February 2026. Work will take place at Astral Materials’ facility in Mountain View, Calif. Within 90 days of the flight, the company will deliver a final report detailing furnace functionality and lessons learned to NASA.
Jamie Whitney
Jamie Whitney joined the staff of Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace. He brings seven years of print newspaper experience to the aerospace and defense electronics industry.
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