Orbital Composites Wins $1.9 Million U.S. Space Force Contract for Extreme Environment Materials

Jun 26, 2026
Orbital Composites has been awarded a $1.9 million Tactical Funding Increase contract from SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, to advance its robotic additive manufacturing platform for extreme environment materials used in defense and space applications.

Orbital Composites has received a $1.9 million Tactical Funding Increase contract from SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, announced in a press release. The funding supports continued development of Orbital's robotic additive manufacturing platform for extreme environment materials.

These materials are designed to withstand conditions such as temperatures above 3,000 degrees Celsius, high velocity combustion gases, and repeated thermal shocks. They are used in components for missile defense, hypersonic vehicles, rocket nozzles, jet engines, and nuclear reactors.

Orbital's approach combines robotics, advanced materials, and physical AI to reduce production time and cost. The company is working with defense contractors, government program offices, and commercial space and energy organizations to qualify and scale production. It is also investing in manufacturing capacity and autonomous production systems to expand its capabilities.

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