Newshot ANA Invests in Space Construction Startup Space Quarters, Betting on “Building Large Structures in Space”
IT之家, November 15: ANA announced on the 13th of this month that it has invested in Space Quarters through the ANA Future Creation Fund. The company provides solutions for in-space assembly and construction of large structures using electron beam welding technology and self-developed robotic systems.
According to the introduction, rocket launch costs have fallen rapidly in recent years, and space transportation technology has advanced along with it. However, due to the size limitations of rocket fairings, the dimensions of space stations and orbital facilities remain constrained, so building large residential and communications facilities in space still faces difficulties.
Space Quarters combines electron beam welding technology with robotic systems to build large structures in space and on the lunar surface. Its space construction robotic system “DAIQ” can complete the entire process of retrieving, placing, and connecting building materials. In June this year, the company used a ground prototype of DAIQ to successfully verify the ability to assemble building materials and perform welding operations in an orbital environment.
In addition, the company has used aircraft to conduct tests under microgravity and simulated lunar gravity, successfully verifying the stable welding capability of metal materials and lunar regolith (IT之家 note: lunar soil) building materials.