Fortastra and Hadrian to Explore 3D Printing for Satellite Programs
Fortastra and Hadrian have signed an MOU to investigate the application of additive manufacturing in spacecraft development, aiming to enhance prototyping and production speed for national security missions.
Fortastra, a company specializing in the design and operation of maneuverable spacecraft for on-orbit security, is exploring ways to improve its prototyping and development processes. To this end, the advanced space systems manufacturer has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hadrian. This collaboration will focus on assessing how advanced manufacturing techniques, including 3D printing, can be integrated into their satellite development programs.
The primary objective for Fortastra is to address urgent national security space missions. The partnership with Hadrian aims to establish a technical collaboration framework. Hadrian will contribute its expertise in precision machining and additive manufacturing, offering Fortastra access to a highly automated production environment. Fortastra anticipates benefits such as increased speed, improved production visibility, and enhanced manufacturing resilience.
Through this collaboration, Fortastra hopes to accelerate program timelines, overcome operational bottlenecks, and support the scalable production of autonomous spacecraft for both U.S. government and commercial clients. The space company will also leverage its extensive experience in qualifying hardware for spaceflight, which is expected to aid in validating and maturing Hadrian's manufacturing technologies for demanding space environments.
Mike Smayda, CEO of Fortastra, stated that manufacturing is a critical factor in delivering capability rapidly and at scale for autonomous orbital systems. He believes this partnership brings world-class manufacturing expertise directly into their engineering process, enabling them to pursue funded prototype efforts that validate the impact of advanced manufacturing on satellite development for national security. Matthew Parker, VP of Additive Manufacturing at Hadrian, added that the rapidly evolving space environment requires defense capabilities with unprecedented precision, speed, and reliability, which Hadrian is designed to deliver.
This partnership signifies a move towards leveraging additive manufacturing for faster, more resilient satellite production, crucial for national security. By integrating Hadrian's automated AM capabilities with Fortastra's spaceflight hardware expertise, they aim to compress development timelines and scale production, aligning with the broader industry push for advanced manufacturing in aerospace and defense applications.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.