Cosmic Shielding Corporation (Cosmic Shielding), the leading space radiation management company and creator of Plasteel™ technology, announced an agreement with European in-space manufacturing tech start-up Space Forge to test Cosmic Shielding’s radiation shielding technology aboard Space Forge’s new small class vehicle. The ForgeStar-0 will be launching on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne this Summer from Spaceport Cornwall.
Also Read: X-Bow Systems, Leading 3D Printed Solid Rocket Motor Company, Raises $ 27M Series A Round
Space Forge recently announced that, along with partners, it is developing a world-first service incorporating both launch and return of a new small class of vehicle – the ForgeStar – that can be deployed from conventional launchers to provide rapid, reliable and reusable in-space infrastructure.
This initial mission from Cornwall is an opportunity for Space Forge to test key elements of their return technology and Cosmic Shielding will send a small sample of their revolutionary, patented radiation shielding composite called Plasteel™ to confirm the survivability of the composite while exposed to the harsh environment of space.
This will be Cosmic Shielding’s first orbital test of the company’s proprietary advanced composite, which is based on materials tested by NASA SRAG. Plasteel has structural properties exceeding traditional alloys used in spacecraft, with shielding properties superior to water and is lighter, cheaper, and easy to manufacture.
“This inaugural mission is a big step forward for us and we are excited that we will not only be trialing our own technology but working with Cosmic Shielding to confirm the survivability of Plasteel™ in space,” said Andrew Bacon, CTO and Co-founder of Space Forge. “Radiation protection is one of the big challenges for space technology and we are delighted to be using our ForgeStar platforms for research into new solutions.”
“We’re thrilled to have Cosmic Shielding on our first mission,” continued Joshua Western, CEO and Co-founder of Space Forge. “Their mission to increase the longevity of space systems with this revolutionary technology mirrors our drive to both increase access to space alongside return and reuse of spacecraft. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with innovative companies like Cosmic Shielding who are at the forefront of the industry.”