Cancer drugs, flawless fibres and space-made tech: UK leads the orbit revolution

Imagine cancer drugs perfected in microgravity, ultra-clear optical fibres spun in space, and semiconductors impossible to make on Earth.The UK Space Agency is backing a bold vision: turning low Earth orbit into a laboratory for life-changing innovation.

Through new contracts with three UK companies, the agency is exploring how orbit’s unique conditions - weightlessness, natural vacuum, and extreme temperatures - can create materials and medicines that are faster, purer, and more precise than anything possible on Earth.

Space Forge Ltd is investigating how semiconductor seed crystals can be grown in orbit to boost efficiency, reliability, and power density for electronics used in data centres, EV chargers, and quantum computing. OrbiSky Ltd is testing how ZBLAN fluoride glass can be produced in microgravity to make optical fibres with up to 100 times less signal loss than conventional silica fibres - a potential game-changer for telecommunications and medical imaging. BioOrbit Ltd is developing a complete system to manufacture drugs in space, producing perfect protein crystals that could transform cancer treatment and bring life-saving medicines closer to patients’ homes.

Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “By supporting these pioneering projects, we’re not just exploring space - we’re creating tangible benefits on Earth. From better medicines to faster electronics, the UK is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and securing its place as a global leader in space innovation.”

The contracts are funded through the agency’s Sustainability & ISAM and Unlocking Space programmes, which help UK companies tackle barriers to in-orbit manufacturing while preparing products for commercialisation. These studies are a crucial step toward the UK capturing new markets in pharmaceuticals, materials, and advanced technology - industries with real-world impact here on Earth.

“Space Forge is thrilled to help place the UK at the forefront of in-space manufacturing,” said Josh Western, CEO. “With ForgeStar-1, we’ve already generated plasma on a commercial free-flying platform for the first time, and this study will help us take that technology toward full commercialisation.”

With microgravity as an ally, the UK is launching a new era of space manufacturing - where the next breakthrough in medicine, communications, or electronics could be created hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

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