- Besxar partners with SpaceX to advance semiconductor manufacturing using space’s vacuum.
- Twelve Falcon 9 missions planned; Fabship payloads return to Earth post-launch.
- Startup secured investor funding to complete initial research and proof-of-concept phase.
A startup, Besxar, has signed a launch agreement with SpaceX to enhance semiconductor manufacturing technology by utilizing the distinctive conditions of space. The company plans to connect experimental payloads to the boosters of Falcon 9 rockets, directing its research on the advantages of space's vacuum environment for manufacturing semiconductor wafers.
This agreement will have the company's payloads included in twelve future Falcon 9 launches, a few of which might take place before the end of the year. In contrast to the majority of SpaceX customers, Besxar's payloads – crafted as "Fabships" the size of microwave ovens – will not achieve orbit. Instead, these components stay connected to the rocket booster, coming back to Earth with the craft within 10 minutes of liftoff and landing again on Earth.
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Every booster will transport two Fabships per mission, while the twelve-flight campaign facilitates quick enhancements of the technologies under evaluation. Besxar's technology distinguishes itself from other space manufacturing efforts that mainly concentrate on microgravity. Rather, the startup is focusing on the vacuum of space, offering exceptionally clean conditions for semiconductor production at a fraction of the expense and complexity needed on Earth.
Following the assessment of the Clipper-class Fabships during the initial twelve flights – a campaign anticipated to continue for approximately a year – Besxar intends to review the technology’s preparedness for broader operations. While the details of the following stages are still confidential, the initiative seeks to create a proof of concept and enhance the design of the payloads. In the future, Besxar could expand by utilizing bigger Fabships, prolonging time spent in space, or boosting launch rates.