Christine Thropp
United Semiconductors, a New York-based small business that earlier received research sponsorship from the Air Force Research Laboratory, was awarded a spot on a three-year, $21 million contract from NASA for in-space manufacturing efforts.
AFRL said Thursday United Semiconductors was tasked to create advanced materials or technologies under microgravity conditions to expand semiconductor crystal size and production for electromagnetic sensors.
The development looks to showcase in-space manufacturing benefits and is in line with a greater NASA goal of advancing commercial economy in low-Earth orbit.
Aside from NASA, United Semiconductors also has a history of collaborating with AFRL on the creation of semiconductor and photonic materials that could be used on infrared components. The partnership started in 2005 and continued through 2020.
