A new era of in-space manufacturing is rapidly approaching, and DCUBED, a German–American NewSpace company, is driving this transformation. The company now plans to produce solar arrays directly in orbit by 2027, a bold step that could redefine how spacecraft generate power. This breakthrough centers on DCUBED’s ARAQYS system, an advanced technology designed to create lightweight solar structures without the usual limitations of launch mass and size.
DCUBED’s Approach to In-Orbit Solar Manufacturing
Instead of launching fully assembled solar panels from Earth, DCUBED actively proposes to unroll an ultrathin solar blanket after the spacecraft reaches orbit. As this blanket deploys, the system 3D-prints a rigid structural backbone onto it, forming a durable and expandable surface. This method significantly cuts launch mass and allows engineers to build much larger solar structures than those that can fit inside a rocket fairing. According to DCUBED’s official updates, this innovative technique forms the core of the ARAQYS platform.
Timeline Toward a 2027 Demonstration
The company will begin this journey in early 2025, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission carries its first in-space manufacturing experiment. DCUBED aims to demonstrate that it can produce a simple structural element in microgravity, proving that its concept works beyond simulations. Furthermore, the company expects to scale up rapidly by rolling out 1 kW and 10 kW solar array systems for small satellites throughout 2025 and 2026. Finally, the ARAQYS-D3 mission in 2027 will attempt to deploy a fully manufactured 2 kW solar array in orbit.
Why It Matters
If DCUBED succeeds, the technology could dramatically reduce the cost per watt of space-based power. Although early in-space–manufactured solar cells may offer slightly lower efficiency than traditional panels, they could still deliver a major economic advantage through reduced launch demands.
