Space Quarters Inc. has successfully conducted aircraft-based demonstration tests of space welding for metals and lunar regolith-based construction materials under space-equivalent ultra-high vacuum and simulated microgravity and lunar gravity. Under conditions comparable to construction in space, the company confirmed sound joints and sufficient bonding strength.

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Space Welding Demonstration in Ultra-High Vacuum, Microgravity, and Lunar Gravity Environments

Space Welding Demonstration through Aircraft-Based Testing

A high-vacuum chamber was mounted on an aircraft and Space Quarters’ compact, lightweight EBW system was used to run repeated joining tests under ultra-high vacuum in microgravity and simulated 1/6G lunar gravity. Stable welds were achieved across multiple trials, validating feasibility in reduced-gravity environments.

Energy-Efficient Metal Welding Technology Developed with JAXA

The energy-efficient EBW metal welding technology was developed through joint research with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) . Because gravity affects molten metal flow within the weld pool, Space Quarters evaluated performance in microgravity and lunar gravity and improved the process, increasing readiness for practical use where power and heat rejection are constrained.

World’s First Welding Demonstration of Lunar Regolith-Based Materials

Within the same collaborative framework, Space Quarters achieved the world’s first welding demonstration of sintered lunar regolith materials provided by Obayashi Corporation. Space Quarters further verified regolith-material welding under simulated 1/6G lunar gravity, demonstrating the potential of in-situ resource utilization for construction amid transportation constraints, often cited at USD1million per kilogram to the Moon.

Applications to Space Architecture and On-Orbit Services

In this test, Space Quarters installed its lightweight high-vacuum chamber on an aircraft owned by Diamond Air Service Co., Ltd. and successfully conducted EBW tests under strict weight limitations and high acceleration tolerance requirements. The repeatable results support applications to on-orbit assembly, manufacturing, and repair services, as well as future lunar infrastructure construction. Space Quarters will continue advancing space construction technologies to expand humanity’s living domain into space.

About Space Quarters

Space Quarters Inc. (Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Shogo Onishi) develops space architecture systems to construct large-scale infrastructure in orbit and on the Moon, guided by its mission, “Expanding Humanity’s Potential.” Centered on electron beam welding (EBW), the company is building a technology platform that enables manufacturing, assembly, and repair in space.

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