ToulouseArcSpace raised €2 million to weld in orbit.
Satellites launched today must survive as one rigid piece, with no repairs.
Electron-beam welding needs a vacuum, expensive on Earth but free in orbit, making metal-joining cheaper there.
A 12-kilogram payload demonstrates the welder autonomously aboard a partner spacecraft in 2027.
How each outlet framed it
- European Spaceflight leans favorable
- details autonomous welding specs—12kg payload, 100+ second welds per run, multiple hour-long test sessions planned for 2027
Sources: European Spaceflight