Space Welding Technology Demonstrated in Japan
Space Quarters Conducts Experiments Under Conditions Comparable to Construction in Space
A series of 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 has been conducted by Tokyo-based Space Quarters. Under conditions comparable to construction in space, the company confirmed sound joints and sufficient bonding strength.
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.
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.
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 $1 million per kilogram to the Moon.
For the 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.