Space: China prepares “inflatable factory” while US (Artemis) delays

China takes another step forward in the space race, and this time it's not aiming (only) for the Moon, but for an even more strategic sector: orbital manufacturing, i.e., the ability to produce in orbit . A team of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has announced the successful completion of ground tests for an innovative inflatable and reconfigurable space module .

The goal is clear: to create the basis for large-scale industrial production directly in orbit, bypassing the current colossal logistical and economic constraints.

Technology: Bent on Earth, Giant in Space

The problem with current (and future) orbital platforms is well known: they are expensive and, above all, terribly limited by the size of the launchers that must carry them. Sending large structures into orbit is an engineering nightmare and a financial drain.

The Chinese solution , developed by the CAS Institute of Mechanics ( IMCAS ), is as ingenious as it is pragmatic. It involves a module that travels "folded" into a compact configuration. Once in orbit, it "inflates"—reports speak of a "high-tech fiber skin" stretched over a "steel skeleton"—to form a stable cylindrical structure over two meters in diameter.

Crucial ground tests have validated the weaknesses of this technology:

• The reliable watertight seal between the rigid components (the coupling) and the flexible structure.
• A precise and controlled deployment in a simulated microgravity environment.
• The stability of the structure once expanded is essential for high-precision machining.

What is the purpose of a “factory” in orbit?

The utility of such a platform isn't science fiction, but purely industrial. Microgravity allows for processes impossible on our planet, where gravity "ruins" even the most delicate processes.

Chinese researchers are mainly targeting sectors with very high added value:

• Biopharmaceuticals (e.g., growth of perfect protein crystals)
• Creation of new materials and special alloys
• Advanced 3D printing

As project leader Yang Yiqiang bluntly stated: "This technology will push space manufacturing from proof of concept to engineering reality." In short, it moves from small experiments to full-scale production, making "the use of space resources more accessible."

US-China competition moves into orbit

This development is not only technical, but profoundly strategic. Beijing makes no secret of its ambition to undermine, and ultimately replace, the United States as the world's leading space power.

While Washington accumulates significant delays, particularly on the crucial Artemis lunar mission (largely related to the orbital refueling tests of SpaceX's Starship), China is proceeding methodically and steadily. The result is that many experts are starting to seriously believe that Beijing can beat the US to the punch in returning humans to the Moon.

Space manufacturing is simply another hot front in this competition.

Of course, the Americans aren't just standing by and watching. The difference is that in the US, the initiative seems, as is often the case, to be more in private hands. Californian startup Varda Space Industries has already launched its "W-Series 1," calling it (perhaps a little exaggeratedly) the "world's first space factory." Another company, Astroforge , is even aiming for space mining , claiming, with some rhetoric, that it's doing so to "save this little blue rock we live on," reducing dependence on terrestrial mines.

The race is on and sees two opposing models: on one side, China's state-led, planned approach; on the other, the private initiative (and public delays) of the United States. The test of the Chinese inflatable module isn't just an engineering success; it's a strong signal that the new space economy won't be just a Western affair.

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Questions and Answers

• Why is it so important to build factories in space rather than on Earth? Microgravity (weightlessness) and the vacuum enable processes impossible on our planet. It's possible to create purer metal alloys, perfect crystals for semiconductors, or grow drugs (biopharmaceuticals) with structures that would collapse under Earth's gravity. It's about producing materials and goods with extremely high added value that justify the costs, at least in the long run.
• What is the real advantage of an "inflatable" module over a traditional one? The advantage is purely logistical and economic. Space factories must be large to be useful, but launch rockets are narrow and expensive. This module is launched "folded," taking up very little space. Once in orbit, it inflates, expanding to form a large laboratory. It costs much less to launch a single compact module than to assemble dozens of small, rigid pieces.
• Is this Chinese technology a direct threat to US primacy in space? It is a direct challenge. The US is placing significant emphasis on private companies like SpaceX and Varda. China, with a state-led approach (led by the Academy of Sciences), is demonstrating steady progress and a long-term vision. While the US Artemis lunar program faces delays, China is gaining ground. This technology gives it a concrete advantage in the race for the orbital "new space economy," a sector that will be strategic.

The article Space: China prepares the “inflatable factory” while the US (Artemis) delays comes from Scenari Economici .

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This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/spazio-la-cina-prepara-la-fabbrica-gonfiabile-mentre-gli-usa-artemis-ritardano/ on Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:42:54 +0000.