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For decades, metal additive manufacturing (AM) has promised to revolutionize aerospace by offering lighter, more complex, and faster-to-produce components. But for much of its history, AM in the space sector has struggled to move beyond niche applications and small-scale production. Early hype cycles led to inflated expectations, followed by corrections when the realities of cost, material limitations, and scalability set in.
Now, after years of refinement, AM is entering a new phase—one where it is not just a promising technology but an essential part of space hardware production. This shift is driven by the growing demand for high-performance, low-mass components and the accelerating pace of satellite manufacturing, particularly for large constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The transition from experimental AM parts to full-scale production has required significant investment in process validation. Companies like Burloak Technologies, Canada’s largest metal additive contract manufacturer, work extensively with space companies to prove that printed metal parts can meet the stringent requirements of spaceflight, matching or exceeding the strength, durability, and precision of conventionally machined components. Through advanced in-house post-processing techniques—including proprietary heat treatment recipes, Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), and surface finishing—Burloak has been at the forefront of making metal AM a reliable and scalable solution for space applications.
From Prototypes to Production: AM’s Maturity in Space
The challenges of spaceflight—tight schedules, extreme environmental conditions, and the need for high-reliability components—have historically favored traditional manufacturing methods. However, metal AM has been making inroads, proving its ability to produce flight-critical hardware with improved performance characteristics and drastically shorter lead times.
One of the biggest advantages of AM is its ability to create complex geometries that are either impossible or prohibitively expensive to manufacture using traditional methods. This has led to significant advancements in radio frequency (RF) hardware, where the ability to design intricate waveguides and antenna components with optimized internal structures has resulted in improved signal integrity and reduced mass.
Scaling AM for the Space Economy
The biggest shift in AM adoption has come from the changing nature of satellite production. The traditional approach—where each satellite is built as a custom, high-value asset—has been upended by the rise of large-scale satellite constellations. Programs like Telesat’s Lightspeed, SpaceX’s Starlink, and Amazon’s Kuiper demand the production of hundreds or even thousands of satellites, requiring manufacturers to find ways to scale efficiently while maintaining quality.
AM is playing a key role in this transformation by enabling on-demand manufacturing of high-performance parts, reducing the dependency on long and complex supply chains. By eliminating tooling and reducing multi-step assembly, AM has been able to cut production times from months to weeks, significantly improving time-to-market.
Few companies have demonstrated the scalability of AM as effectively as Burloak, which was selected by MDA Space, a global leader in satellite communications, to deliver over 50,000 metal AM Ka-band antennas for MDA AURORA™ software-defined digital satellites for the Telesat Lightspeed constellation. With expertise in high-performance metals like aluminum and titanium, Burloak is helping MDA Space reduce part count, improve RF performance, and optimize structures for mass efficiency. Their work together has proven that AM is not just viable for space but can be a competitive advantage in satellite manufacturing.
As demand for satellite constellations surges, MDA Space is ramping up production to have the capacity to deliver two MDA AURORA™ satellites per day. This expansion, fueled by major contracts like Telesat Lightspeed and Globalstar’s next-gen LEO constellation, is pushing Burloak to scale its vertically integrated AM and post-processing capabilities to unprecedented levels to remain in-step with its partner. Together, Burloak and MDA Space are redefining space manufacturing, proving that advanced production techniques are key to the future of satellite deployment.
The Future of AM in Spaceflight
While AM has already proven its value for satellite production, its future potential extends far beyond today’s applications. One of the most exciting frontiers is in-space manufacturing, where AM could enable the construction of large structures directly in orbit, eliminating the constraints of launching fully assembled hardware from Earth. This concept is particularly compelling for next-generation space stations, lunar habitats, and deep-space exploration missions, where building and repairing hardware on-site could drastically reduce costs and increase mission flexibility.
AM is No Longer a Niche Technology
For years, additive manufacturing has been seen as a promising but unproven technology for spaceflight. That perception is changing. With validated processes, high-performance materials, and real-world flight heritage, AM is no longer just an experimental tool—it is a core part of how space hardware is designed and built.
As the industry moves toward faster, more flexible, and scalable production, companies that fully integrate AM into their supply chains will have a competitive edge. Leaders like Burloak, with their extensive flight heritage and partnerships with top-tier space companies, are proving that AM is no longer just a niche solution but a fundamental pillar of the space economy. Whether for next-generation satellites, deep-space missions, or in-space construction, AM is reshaping the business of space—and this time, it’s here to stay.
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