ESA explores the future of in-space manufacturing with autonomous aluminium weld analysis

European Space Agency (ESA) engineers have closely examined a groundbreaking aluminium weld produced in space. This marks a historic milestone as the first autonomous welding conducted in orbit and the first of its kind involving ESA.

The weld, a mere one centimetre in size, was created using electron beam welding technology as part of an experiment led by ThinkOrbital, a US-based startup. The experiment occurred aboard a spacecraft launched in May via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Now, ESA's Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory in the Netherlands is rigorously scrutinising the weld. The team is analysing the structure and quality of the space-made weld using advanced testing tools such as microscopes and X-ray tomography. The results will be compared with identical samples produced on Earth to evaluate differences and similarities in material properties and welding outcomes.