U.S. Space Force Awards Orbital Composites $1.9M Contract to Advance Robotic Additive Manufacturing for Extreme Environment Materials

July 5, 2026

Textile World USA

Overview

Campbell, California-based advanced manufacturing firm Orbital Composites has secured a $1.9 million contract from SpaceWERX, the U.S. Space Force’s innovation arm. This funding supports the continued development of a robotic additive manufacturing (AM) platform for extreme environment materials used in rocket nozzles, heat shields, and hypersonic vehicle structures. The technology aims to produce components capable of withstanding conditions exceeding 3,000°C and high-velocity combustion gases, revolutionizing the supply of next-gen high-performance materials for the space and defense industries. This contract strengthens the Space Force’s supply chain and technological superiority.

In Depth

Key Findings

Orbital Composites, an advanced manufacturing company based in Campbell, California, has been awarded a significant $1.9 million contract from SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. This contract specifically funds the ongoing development of a robotic additive manufacturing (AM) platform for extreme environment materials, destined for applications such as rocket nozzles, heat shields, and hypersonic vehicle structures. Orbital Composites’ technology aims to produce components that can endure temperatures exceeding 3,000°C and high-velocity combustion gases, conditions where conventional parts typically fail. This represents a major material technology breakthrough for both the space and defense industries.

Technical Details

The robotic additive manufacturing platform being developed by Orbital Composites incorporates the following key technical features:

Manufacturing of Extreme Environment Materials: This technology specializes in producing complex and precise geometries from specialized materials, including high-temperature ceramics, superalloys, and advanced composites. It is particularly suited for components requiring performance under severe conditions, such as ultra-high temperatures (exceeding 3,000°C), high-velocity combustion gases, and extreme pressures, typical of rocket engine nozzles, heat shields, and structural elements of hypersonic aircraft.
Robotic Additive Manufacturing (AM): The platform utilizes robotic arms to deposit materials layer by layer, enabling the automated and highly precise fabrication of intricate parts that are challenging to produce with traditional manual methods or conventional manufacturing processes. This approach offers significant design freedom, allowing for simultaneous weight reduction and performance enhancement of components.
Supply Chain Resiliency: By providing on-demand manufacturing capabilities, this platform reduces reliance on complex international supply chains. For strategically vital components, it enables rapid domestic production and supply, thereby mitigating national security risks associated with external dependencies.

This technology promises to yield components with unprecedented performance and durability, making it indispensable for the development of next-generation spacecraft and aerial vehicles.

Background & Context

The space and defense industries are constantly seeking cutting-edge materials and manufacturing technologies. In areas like rocket engines and hypersonic flight vehicles, materials capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures and pressures are absolutely critical. Traditional manufacturing methods have often reached their limits in meeting such specialized requirements, and they also contend with issues of cost and lead time. SpaceWERX, through its collaborations with private companies, actively explores innovative solutions to these challenges. This contract with Orbital Composites signifies that the defense industry views additive manufacturing as a strategic priority, investing aggressively in strengthening its supply chain and securing technological superiority.

Strategic Significance & Outlook

The $1.9 million contract from SpaceWERX will significantly accelerate the development of Orbital Composites’ robotic additive manufacturing platform. Once matured, this technology is expected to dramatically enhance the performance and reliability of space launch systems and hypersonic weapon systems. Crucially, it will shorten development cycles for next-generation spacecraft and defense systems by reducing component manufacturing time and cost while offering unprecedented design freedom. In the long term, this technology may also find applications in extraterrestrial construction activities, such as those on the Moon or Mars, through In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), thereby playing a vital role in expanding humanity’s operational reach in space.

Source: https://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/2026/06/orbital-composites-wins-u-s-space-force-contract-to-advance-extreme-environment-materials-manufacturing/

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