FORGE | Re-fabricator unit for Haven-2
OVERVIEW
To sustain long-duration spaceflight, in-space manufacturing must be as reliable as the food supply. Forge enables crew to recycle, reuse, and fabricate essential utility items onboard, while minimizing workload and complexity.
ROLE
LENGTH
TOOLS
SKILLS
Individual - Personal Project
4 weeks (2025)
Solidworks, Keyshot, Procreate, Adobe Suite
Contextual research, prototyping, CAD, ergonomics
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Long-duration spaceflight requires self-sufficiency without increasing crew workload.
BACKGROUND — In-space Manufacturing
While in space, crews need the ability to adapt and create what they need on demand. In-space manufacturing enables repair, reuse, and flexibility in orbit, helping habitats become more self-sufficient and livable over time.
Existing Solutions
In-space manufacturing is already on board the ISS. Refabricators are designed to recycle waste material, by shredding, melting, and extruding it into 3d-printable filament.
Current System — Orbital only
Current in-space fabrication is complex, maintenance-heavy, and rigid, limiting its usefulness for long missions.
Complex interfaces
High maintenance
Industrial, Rigid design
DESIGN OPPORTUNITY
A refabrication system designed around crew comfort, simplicity, and daily use
Proposed System — Deep-space
FORGE streamlines the re-fabrication process with an intuitive interface while supporting long-term sustainability.
Intuitive
Low-maintenance
Integrated
PROCESS
Research into VAST’s mission goals and technical restraints
This topic was initially foreign to me, so I was excited to dive into research on in-space manufacturing to understand the technology, goals, and requirements, and how such a system could fit aboard Haven-2.
FORM LANGUAGE
Tactile surfaces | Soft geometry | Hierarchical clarity | Inviting touchpoints
IDEATION
Concepts developed around user experience and habitat integration
THIS IS FORGE
The ultimate recycler and fabrication system for life in deep space
Recycle, Re-print, Repeat
The Refabricator transforms waste material into usable feedstock for 3D printing through a fully integrated, closed-loop process.
FORGE manages the complexity, Crew confirms intent.
All interactions with FORGE are designed to be simple confirmations to programming that has already been prepared via laptop or tablet. The appliance software takes care of the rest.
Self-Sustaining Feedstock
Instead of relying on standard 3D printing filament, FORGE shreds, melts, and extrudes its own feedstock directly from onboard Haven-2 waste material, enabling a fully integrated, closed-loop fabrication process.
Concealed Mechanics
Supporting crew comfort by maintaining a calm, uncluttered habitat.
Easy-Access Maintenance
FORGE is mounted on a sliding track, which allows it to be pulled all the way out of the payload housing wall for routine maintenance.
