Spinning Optical Cables in Space

Image from NASA

Orbit Records Broken

Mid-February to mid-March 2024 saw the system called Flawless Space Fibers‑1 on the ISS produce more than seven miles of optical fiber in space, with one run of more than half a mile—breaking the previous record of 82 feet.

Space-made fibers might have even superior characteristics than those pulled on Earth, as microgravity reduces distortion and sedimentation during manufacture. It is a crucial step in space-based specialty materials manufacturing.

The orbital manufacturing demonstrates not just a single experiment but the possibility of commercial-length fiber fabrication in space. The fiber's performance (uniformity, attenuation) is desirable for high-speed communication, sensing, and even photonic systems deployed in space or retrieved to the Earth's surface. The success in March thus represents a shift from experimental to real-world in-orbit fabrication.

For space economy, the ability to produce high-quality fiber in microgravity opens up new opportunities: better material than Earthly-produced, production near orbiting platforms, and even exportation back to Earth.

Consequences for Materials Science and Space Infrastructure

It is one of the implications that microgravity manufacturing makes it possible for materials with lower defect levels, higher uniformity, and novel structures not achievable on Earth. Optical fibers with lower light loss, embedded sensors or specialty coatings may become feasible once manufactured using the March fiber production as a baseline.

The other is space infrastructure: as we build more orbital platforms (space stations, warehouses, deep-space habitats), producing things in orbit rather than shipping everything from the Earth could cut mass, cost, and enable more sophisticated systems.

Finally, last but not least, on Earth benefit: orbitally made materials might, in the future, come back to Earth markets with unique performance advantages. Beyond the mainstream but not yet, the March success portends a future when microgravity materials feed both space and ground technology markets.