Space factory

"If we can get to space, if we can establish a long-term presence - and we can do both - there is business to be done there."

When SpaceX launched satellites this month for its customers, one of them was the world's first space factory. 

Why operate an expensive manufacturing factory in space? It's worth doing because, says the CEO of Varda Space Industries, "There are many high-performance products that are only possible to make in zero gravity." 

Its solar panels have found the sun and the satellite factory is beginning to stabilize. Varda's CEO used to work for SpaceX, and tweeted out a thank-you to them for the ride.

They're going to make pharmaceuticals because drugs have the highest value per unit of mass, and there's a big market for them.

from FreeThink

(cont'd tomorrow)