OrbiSky Awarded UK Space Agency Contract For SkyYield In-Orbit Manufacturing Study

OrbiSky has been awarded a contract by the UK Space Agency to deliver SkyYield, a study defining an end-to-end payload concept for manufacturing ZBLAN optical fibre in Low Earth Orbit.

The work focuses on the verification and process controls required for in-orbit manufacturing to become repeatable and commercially adoptable. The study will set out what needs to be monitored during manufacturing, what data must be captured, and how that evidence can be packaged so customers can assess quality and accept outputs with confidence.

ZBLAN is a specialist optical fibre with potential benefits for applications including telecommunications and medical imaging. Microgravity processing may improve outcomes, but adoption depends on consistency, monitoring, and clear evidence that the manufactured product meets requirements.

Sylvester Kaczmarek, Chief Executive Officer at OrbiSky, said: “SkyYield is about turning the unique conditions of microgravity into real-world capability. With UK Space Agency support, we’ll define a credible, end-to-end payload concept for manufacturing ultra-low-loss ZBLAN optical fibre in orbit, including the process controls and verification needed for commercial adoption. This is an important step towards new UK-led markets in space manufacturing, with clear benefits for telecoms and medical imaging.”

The UK Space Agency has highlighted in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) as a priority capability area for UK leadership, growth, and national security. SkyYield supports that direction by focusing on the verification layer needed to move from demonstrations to operational capability.