Replicator 2

Replicator 2 [Orbital Matter]

Replicator 2 is a nanosatellite mission by the Polish-German start-up Orbital Matter to demonstrate in-orbit manufacturing technology developed by Orbital Matter to validate 3D printing of structural elements in the vacuum of space. The 8U CubeSat's primary objective is to demonstrate the in-space fabrication and deployment of solar array support structures, a technology intended to enable future high-power satellites and orbital data centers.

Replicator 2 carries four independent 1U manufacturing modules, each equipped with a 3D printer that extrudes a photopolymer resin and hardens it using ultraviolet light. Each printer is designed to produce a rigid boom approximately one meter long directly in the space environment. Two printed booms will deploy a flexible solar array, while the remaining two will deploy an antenna and a camera. Since the four printers operate independently, the success of any individual printer will provide an in-orbit demonstration of the technology.

The mission aims to demonstrate an alternative to conventional deployable space structures, which rely on hinges, motors, latches, and other mechanical components. By manufacturing rigid support structures directly in orbit, Orbital Matter seeks to eliminate much of the mechanical complexity associated with large deployable solar arrays. The company expects the same manufacturing approach to be scalable to structures exceeding 100 meters in length, supporting future satellites requiring tens of kilowatts or even megawatt-class power generation.

Replicator 2 also represents one of the first attempts to perform additive manufacturing directly in the exposed vacuum of space. Previous in-space manufacturing demonstrations have largely been conducted inside the pressurized environment of the International Space Station. By operating in an unpressurized orbital environment, the mission is intended to validate manufacturing techniques required for constructing large spacecraft structures directly in orbit.

It was launched on 7 July 2026 aboard the SpaceX Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) Transporter-17 rideshare mission.