en.Wedoany.com Reported - U.S. lawmakers have introduced a new bill aimed at paving the way for semiconductor manufacturing in low Earth orbit, in response to increasingly fierce international competition in the field of space chip manufacturing. The bill seeks to clarify provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act regarding the manufacturing of chips in low Earth orbit, thereby stimulating domestic investment and maintaining U.S. technological leadership.
According to a fact sheet provided by the lead sponsor of the House version of the bill, Democratic Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington state, the first U.S. growth of semiconductor crystals in low Earth orbit dates back to the Skylab mission in 1973. More than two decades later, in 1996, China became the first country to use space-grown crystals to manufacture integrated circuits via a recoverable satellite. Currently, China has chip manufacturing capabilities on its operational Tiangong space station, creating a sense of urgency for the United States.
The Senate sponsor of the bill, Republican Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina, stated that the new legislation gives manufacturers a "green light" to develop microgravity semiconductor technology. He noted that the microgravity environment, due to the absence of gravity and closer proximity to the sun, has been proven to produce materials of higher quality than those manufactured on Earth. In a statement, Budd emphasized that several U.S. companies have already invested in equipment, launch capabilities, and advanced chip manufacturing, and that the U.S. has momentum that cannot be allowed to stall.
As the space economy transitions from the research phase to the industrialization phase, the United States is seeking to solidify its technological advantages. Currently, the U.S. shares the International Space Station with space agencies from Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada, but military research is prohibited on site. With the International Space Station scheduled for retirement in 2030, private companies are investing in subsequent commercial platforms. DelBene warned that if new platforms are not operational soon, China could become the only country with a functioning space station for developing chip materials. This situation unfolds against the backdrop of a global silicon chip shortage driven by data center expansion and the artificial intelligence boom.
In a statement, DelBene said that the U.S. has made significant progress in boosting domestic production capacity through the CHIPS and Science Act, but the semiconductor race is evolving, and the next frontier for chip manufacturing is space. Earlier this year, Aegis Aerospace partnered with United Semiconductors to jointly develop a space-based semiconductor manufacturing platform. In December, Space Forge successfully generated plasma in orbit, demonstrating the feasibility of creating and controlling vapor-phase crystal growth conditions on an autonomous platform in low Earth orbit. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's SpaceX—which conducted one of its largest initial public offerings this week and began trading on the stock market on Friday—plans to use chips manufactured at its upcoming Terafab facility in Texas to deploy artificial intelligence data centers in space.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
