Signal Besxar Flies Suborbital Semiconductor Manufacturing Demo

Summary

Space semiconductor manufacturing startup Besxar flew its first suborbital mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 on July 5, 2026, alongside Starlink satellites, also carrying research wafers from the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin. The mission validated the concept of in-orbit semiconductor manufacturing using the vacuum of space, demonstrating the canister's ability to maintain vacuum conditions and prevent contamination such as atomic oxygen exposure. Besxar has a contract with SpaceX for a total of 12 suborbital flights, with its second mission planned before the end of 2026. The company raised $9.35 million in seed funding led by Dauntless Ventures. Rather than developing its own reentry technology, Besxar outsources it to launch providers and plans to use Starship-class vehicles for future long-duration missions.