United Semiconductors recently completed a crystal growth mission on the ISS that demonstrated microgravity as a uniquely stable environment for bulk and thin-film crystal growth of complex semiconductor and semimetal alloys. In orbit, reduced gravity and pure vacuum conditions can improve material uniformity, increase yields and enhance device performance compared to terrestrial manufacturing processes.
Under the new agreement, United Semiconductors will use Starlab's internal and external payload platforms to increase payload throughput, shorten logistics timelines and reduce production costs for space-manufactured semiconductor materials. The companies expect these capabilities to support long-term US leadership in advanced materials manufacturing and critical technology supply chains.
External platforms on Starlab will provide access to pure vacuum, which can be important for limiting defects in specific semiconductor processing steps and for reducing safety risks associated with producing certain materials inside closed environments. United Semiconductors plans to deploy its proprietary crystal growth platform, designed specifically for reduced gravity conditions, to manufacture high-performance semiconductor materials in orbit.
The materials developed through this platform are targeted for a range of applications, including aerospace systems, AI-enabled platforms, advanced sensing technologies, energy-efficient computing and national security infrastructure. By pairing its in-space manufacturing approach with commercial supply chains on the ground, United Semiconductors seeks to offer integrated fabrication services that span both terrestrial and orbital environments.
"United Semiconductors has demonstrated space manufacturing of bulk crystals with strong support from NASA's In-Space Production Applications program, delivering a compelling value proposition for in-space semiconductor products," said Dr. Partha Dutta, Chief Technologist of United Semiconductors. He added that as the company builds long-term partnerships with leading aerospace companies and integrates commercial supply chains, the Starlab partnership provides a stable, reliable manufacturing platform to scale up crystal production and services.
"Advanced materials manufacturing is one of the most strategically important frontiers in low Earth orbit," said Marshall Smith, CEO of Starlab Space. He noted that United Semiconductors has already shown performance advantages for microgravity-grown crystals and that Starlab's commercial platform is intended to provide the infrastructure needed to move from individual missions to scalable, repeatable production that supports domestic supply chains and emerging semiconductor technologies.
Starlab describes this agreement as one element of a broader network focused on scientific research and technology development in orbit. The company's market-driven business model is designed to lower cost, complexity and risk for researchers and commercial users by offering a single-launch, no-assembly-required station architecture.
According to Starlab, the station's design will allow full certification and operational readiness within weeks of launch, minimizing delays and maximizing efficiency for payload operators. Through its joint venture partners, Starlab can already support research and manufacturing work aboard the ISS, giving customers a pathway to begin projects now and transition to Starlab as its next-generation capabilities become available.
Starlab Space is a US-led global joint venture that includes Voyager Technologies, Airbus, Mitsubishi Corporation, MDA Space, Palantir Technologies and Space Applications Services, with strategic partners such as Hilton, Journey, Northrop Grumman and The Ohio State University. The venture is developing an AI-enabled commercial space station intended to maintain a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit and to provide a platform for microgravity science and research after the retirement of the International Space Station.
United Semiconductors LLC is a small business operating a semiconductor substrate production facility in Los Alamitos, California. Since 2005, it has supplied critical substrates to the US defense sector and national laboratories and is described as the only domestic source for 6-inch diameter substrate production of III-V binary semiconductors and the only global source for large-area substrate production of III-V ternary semiconductors.
In recent years, United Semiconductors has expanded its crystal growth capabilities to establish in-space manufacturing of bulk crystals, leveraging microgravity and the space environment for improved material performance. The new payload reservation with Starlab is intended to support this shift from experimental missions toward sustained, commercial-scale output.
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