Made in Space, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, 3D printing |
| Founded | August 2010 |
| Founder | Aaron Kemmer, Jason Dunn, Mike Chen, Michael Snyder |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville , United States |
Area served | Space industry |
| Products | 3D printers optimized for microgravity, Additive Manufacturing Facility, Archinaut robotic manufacturing system |
| Owner | Redwire Space, Inc. |
| Parent | Redwire Space, Inc. |
Made In Space, Inc.—currently operating as Redwire Space, Inc.—is a United States-based aerospace firm that focuses on designing and producing 3D printers optimized for microgravity conditions. Its headquarters are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and the company is credited with creating the first-ever 3D printer deployed in space.
History
Established in August 2010 by entrepreneurs Aaron Kemmer, Jason Dunn, Mike Chen, and Michael Snyder during their participation in the Singularity University program, Made In Space’s mission revolves around facilitating human habitation across multiple planets. In 2011, the company set up a 3D Printing Laboratory within NASA's Ames Research Center and obtained a sub-orbital flight opportunity through NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program. Following more than 400 microgravity test flights aboard NASA’s reduced gravity aircraft, Made In Space was awarded a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a 3D printer suitable for operation aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
By January 2013, they secured Phase 2 SBIR funding to construct and certify their additive manufacturing system for use on the ISS, later advancing to Phase 3 approval to facilitate the printer’s launch into orbit. In May 2014, NASA contracted them to create a recycling unit compatible with their ISS printer. That same year, the company received an ISS Space Flight Awareness Award in recognition of its significant contributions to enhancing spaceflight efficiency.
In June 2014, Made In Space showcased its capabilities in space manufacturing at the White House Maker Faire. Their Zero-G printer was sent to the ISS aboard the SpaceX CRS-4 mission on September 21, 2014. Astronaut Barry Wilmore unpacked the device on station by November, and on November 24, it produced the first part ever manufactured in space—an important milestone that expanded their product offerings. The initial functional item was a buckle created by NASA astronaut Yvonne Cagle for use with exercise equipment designed to counteract muscle atrophy in microgravity.
The Zero-G printer gained further prominence during December 2014 when it featured in the reopening of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum’s "Tools: Extending Our Reach" exhibition. On December 17, Made In Space successfully transmitted and fabricated the first remotely uploaded tool—a ratchet—from Earth directly aboard the ISS, highlighting their ability to perform on-demand manufacturing through remote file transfer.
Broadening its international presence, Made In Space announced plans in September 2018 to establish a European branch in Luxembourg aimed at developing cost-effective modular robotic arms for space missions. In January 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis revealed that Made In Space would relocate its corporate headquarters from Mountain View, California to Jacksonville, Florida, supported by more than $3 million in capital investments to accelerate growth.
In June 2020, Redwire Space acquired Made In Space following its merger with Deep Space Systems and Adcole Space. This acquisition strengthened Redwire’s portfolio within aerospace and expanded its influence across on-orbit manufacturing and construction markets.
3D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration
Unveiled in May 2013, NASA partnered with Made In Space to send the inaugural 3D printer into space as part of the 3D Printing in Zero-G Technology Demonstration project. The initiative sought to validate that additive manufacturing is feasible under zero-gravity conditions—an essential advancement toward enabling on-demand production capabilities for long-duration deep space exploration. Installed inside a Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), the experiment involved printing test samples known as "coupons," which were evaluated for dimensional accuracy, layer bonding strength, tensile properties, flexibility, and compressive resistance. These space-fabricated items were benchmarked against identical Earth-made samples by ASTM standards to enhance space-based printing techniques.
The Jon Lomberg Golden Plate
Drawing inspiration from Jon Lomberg's involvement with the Voyager Golden Record, Lomberg partnered with Made In Space to design the Golden Plate commemorating humanity's inaugural manufacturing milestone in orbit. This plate is mounted inside the printer and can be seen through the front viewing window.
Additive Manufacturing Facility
Installed on the ISS in April 2016, the Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) supports NASA, governmental bodies, academic institutions, and commercial enterprises. It is capable of producing items with dimensions up to 10 cm by 10 cm by 14 cm, utilizing three types of polymers: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and a composite of polyetherimide and polycarbonate (PEI-PC).
Recycling of 3D printer plastic
In 2014, NASA selected Made In Space to create a recycling system for 3D printed materials aboard the ISS. Nevertheless, the company was not awarded the subsequent Phase II SBIR contract.
Large structure in-space manufacturing
Made In Space joined forces with Northrop Grumman and Oceaneering International to develop Archinaut (OSAM-2), an advanced robotic system for manufacturing and assembling large structures in orbit. This technology targets applications such as building expansive telescope components, repairing spacecraft, enhancing existing assets, and assembling space stations. The company performed ground-based evaluations on a central spar designed to deploy and secure rolled solar arrays. Archinaut One was slated for deployment via a Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
Videos released by Made In Space showcased Archinaut’s robotic assembly functions and its capacity for in-orbit manufacturing. Despite these advancements, the Archinaut initiative concluded in 2023 without completing an on-orbit demonstration.
Fiber optics
Made In Space (MIS) is producing experimental batches of ZBLAN optical fiber through multiple spaceflight research payloads. Building on these initial findings and market interest, MIS plans to expand microgravity production capabilities for ZBLAN and related materials. Collaborating with ThorLabs, MIS emphasizes fiber optics that exhibit substantially reduced signal attenuation, benefiting sectors such as long-distance communication, medical science, supercomputing, and others.
Other activities
In 2018, MIS secured extensions for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards supporting the Vulcan Advanced Hybrid Manufacturing System and Industrial Crystallization Facility (ICF). Vulcan integrates additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques to fabricate high-precision metal components in space, aiding operations aboard the ISS and future crewed missions. The ICF aims to produce versatile optical crystals in microgravity environments, which are essential for computing and data processing technologies.
Additionally, MIS intends to deploy a commercial recycling unit to the ISS by late 2019. This facility will transform plastic waste into feedstock spools for ongoing additive manufacturing activities aboard the station, promoting sustainable production in orbit.