Tori Miller has a Vision for Space-Based Fabrication

In 1969, space was much less complicated. Only a few nations had launched satellites into orbit, and the race for dominance was between just two — the United States and the Soviet Union. The Moon, recently claimed by the Apollo 11 mission, belonged to America alone.

Fast forward 50 years and Earth’s orbit has become significantly more congested. Dozens of countries and privately owned companies have filled it with tens of thousands of manufactured objects. The scale of our ambitions beyond Earth has grown, too. Now, we’re talking about human-crewed missions to Mars, permanent lunar bases and massive telescopes to explore the far reaches of the cosmos. To help realize these goals, the University of Florida has launched the Space Mission Institute, an interdisciplinary hub for space research.

One of the institute’s key researchers is Tori Miller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. Miller is leading a five-year, $1.08 million project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop advanced laser sheet metal forming technology. The goal is simple: make it possible to fabricate large metal structures in space that are too big to launch from Earth.

Today, everything sent into orbit—whether it’s a telescope or a solar array—has to be built on Earth first and is constrained by the size and weight limitations of a launch vehicle. Miller’s research could change that by allowing astronauts to manufacture parts in space, reducing the cost and complexity of space missions. This breakthrough could benefit a wide range of space applications, from astronomy to telecommunications and national security.

The challenge Miller is taking on is nothing short of groundbreaking: enabling the assembly of enormous structures, like solar arrays up to 100 meters in diameter—several times the size of those currently on the International Space Station. Her approach, called laser sheet metal forming, uses laser-induced thermal distortion to bend and shape metal without physical contact, much like metallic origami.

But Miller’s focus goes beyond just forming metal in space. Her work takes on the challenge of developing reliable manufacturing methods that meet the demands of space engineering. The process isn’t yet ready for prime time, though. Although laser bending can produce intricate geometries, the final material properties remain too unpredictable. As a result, laser-formed parts are not yet reliable enough for use, particularly in critical applications like spacecraft.

Miller’s approach to solving this problem is innovative. While past research has focused on controls and systems engineering, she is taking a materials science approach, examining how the metal evolves during the laser forming process. She’s developing models that track how material parameters—like strength and grain size—change as they undergo repeated laser passes. Her goal is to achieve unprecedented control over the fabricated components’ geometry and mechanical properties.

“Nearly all previous research treated material parameters as constants,” said Miller. “But in reality, they change during the laser forming process. We need to predict how those changes will affect the final product.”

This modeling strategy could unlock new possibilities in space manufacturing. If successful, it would enable astronauts to build massive, complex structures in orbit with precision and reliability. From solar arrays that power space stations to trusses for large telescopes, laser sheet metal forming could support the future of space exploration.

The concept isn’t entirely new. In the 1970s, the Grumman Beam Builder could cut, bend and ultrasonically weld aluminum alloy sheets into triangular trusses. While promising, it was limited to a single geometry and a narrow range of materials. Ultimately, research shifted to on-orbit assembly instead of manufacturing. Now, with modern technology, Miller and her team are taking a fresh look at space-based fabrication, pushing it further than ever before.

Testing will soon move into a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA and, eventually, aboard the International Space Station. If successful, Miller’s work will represent a significant leap forward in space manufacturing technology, bringing humanity one step closer to building the next generation of space infrastructure.

“Laser bending isn’t very repeatable right now,” Miller said. So, her research group analyzes the conditions that affect the final shape, everything from temperature to material thickness to even minor surface contamination. Most importantly, the final product must withstand the demands of space. “We need to ensure the material is as strong and as reliable coming out of the laser bending process as it was going in.”

As space exploration moves into new frontiers, the ability to fabricate large-scale structures in orbit could be the key to unlocking humanity’s most ambitious goals.