Dcubed, the Munich-based startup that has been building one of the most advanced in-space manufacturing programs in the world, is taking its biggest step yet.The company has unveiled ARAQYS, a new space-power platform designed to deliver the first kilowatt-class solar arrays manufactured directly in orbit.The key milestone in the plan is ARAQYS-D3, a mission scheduled to launch on a SpaceX rideshare in early 2027.
It will test a 2 kW solar array that’s partly manufactured in space, building on two earlier ARAQYS test missions — D1 and D2 — that will fly in 2026 to validate Dcubed’s underlying in-space manufacturing (ISM) processes.The key milestone in the plan is ARAQYS-D3, a mission scheduled to launch on a SpaceX rideshare in early 2027.It will test a 2 kW solar array that’s partly manufactured in space, marking Dcubed’s first attempt at a kilowatt-class in-orbit power system.
Before that, two smaller Pathfinder missions — D1 and D2 — will fly in 2026 to validate the core manufacturing steps.ARAQYS-D1 (“BOOM! THERE IT IS”) will manufacture a 60-cm boom (a small structural arm) directly in orbit.Next, ARAQYS-D2 (“WATTS NEW IN SPACE”) will print and deploy a 1-meter in-space-manufactured solar array aboard Exotrail’s SpaceVan, a transport spacecraft operated by the French company Exotrail.
The SpaceVan acts like a “space taxi,” carrying small satellites from their initial launch drop-off point to their final orbit.Both these flights lay the groundwork for the much larger D3 demonstration.Double blanket solar array.
Image courtesy of Dcubed.In Dcubed’s design, that “manufacturing step” is essentially a form of 3D printing in microgravity.A flexible solar blanket is deployed in orbit.
As it unrolls, Dcubed’s system prints a rigid support structure onto it using a UV-cured resin, turning a soft membrane into a hardened, power-generating array, a technique that the European Space Agency (ESA) has previously described as the first in-space 3D printed solar array.Large solar arrays like these matter because many new space missions need far more power than traditional panels can provide.High-performance electric propulsion, direct-to-device communications, data-processing payloads, and early power-beaming experiments all require steady kilowatts of electricity in orbit.
Dcubed says ARAQYS is built for exactly that change; it’s a way to generate affordable, scalable power in space for satellites that would otherwise be limited by what they can launch from Earth.All of this makes ARAQYS one of the clearest examples yet of additive manufacturing as an in-space process, not just a tool used on Earth.DCUBED announces world-first in-space manufacturing demonstration.
Image courtesy of DCUBED.Over the last two years, Dcubed has become one of the most interesting players pushing toward true in-space 3D printing.In 2024, the company raised €4.4 million ($5 million) to fund a mission that would “3D print solar arrays directly in space.” The company originally became known for testing the manufacture of structural components in open space, a capability that is now becoming more central to in-orbit operations.
Now, with ARAQYS, Dcubed is turning those early demonstrations into an actual product line.The push for larger arrays comes at a moment when many satellites are demanding more power than traditional systems can deliver.New missions all need steady kilowatts of energy in orbit.
So even as launch costs fall, power remains one of the biggest constraints.By building part of the array in space, Dcubed hopes to move beyond those limits.In-orbit fabrication allows hardware that would be too large or fragile to launch from Earth, opening the door to more capable, more efficient spacecraft.
If the approach works, it could support a range of emerging missions: power-beaming demonstrations, high-performance electric propulsion, long-duration science platforms, and small on-orbit factories.Basically, it’s the kind of infrastructure that would support the next phase of the orbital industry.“Dcubed is fully committed to leading the next frontier: power generation in orbit,” said Thomas Sinn, CEO of Dcubed.
“My involvement in a NASA NIAC study on space-based solar power more than 15 years ago set this journey in motion.Since then, we’ve been steadily developing the technologies required to make in-space energy a practical reality.With ARAQYS, we’re now combining those years of innovation into affordable large-scale power solutions designed to meet the demands of the rapidly growing space economy.” Dcubed founder Thomas Sinn (right) next to co-workers.
Image courtesy of Dcubed via Instagram (@dcubedspace).ARAQYS-D3 will be built by spacecraft manufacturer Astro Digital, close to Dcubed’s U.S.headquarters in Colorado.
The launch is being arranged by Maverick Space Systems, which will also handle integration.Dcubed is expanding its work across both the United States and Europe, with teams in Colorado and Germany.The company says this setup will help it prepare for much larger, megawatt-scale production in the future.
Satellite release actuators.Image courtesy of Dcubed.Dcubed started as a deployables company, making hinges, actuators, and mechanisms.
Today, it’s moving toward something much bigger, building power infrastructure directly in orbit, using additive technologies that remove many of the constraints of on-Earth manufacturing.It’s wonderful to follow companies like Dcubed, which once talked about “printing a truss in open space,” and is now so close to launching a multi-kilowatt, in-space-manufactured solar array.For Dcubed, ARAQYS is meant to go beyond research flights.
The company is positioning its in-space-made solar arrays as a super practical power option for the growing number of missions that need more electricity than traditional panels can provide.Success in the next few years could turn ARAQYS into one of the first commercial power systems built directly in orbit.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
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