Closing Bell Manifest Space: Semiconductors in Space: Inside Besxar’s Plan to Redefine Chip Manufacturing 10/30/25
Oct 30, 2025
Ashley Pilipiszyn, founder and CEO of Besxar Space Industries and a former OpenAI employee, dives into the revolutionary concept of manufacturing semiconductors in space. She discusses how autonomous 'fab ships' utilize the vacuum of space for ultra-pure wafer production, potentially reducing costs and solidifying domestic supply chains. Pilipiszyn shares insights on partnerships with SpaceX and the U.S. Navy, the significance of compound semiconductors, and her vision for the future of American manufacturing amid rising global competition.
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Space Removes Core Fab Overhead
- Manufacturing fabs contain costly systems like HVAC and vacuum pumps that drive up capital expenses.
- Besxar aims to remove those terrestrial constraints by using space's ultra-high vacuum to simplify production.
Use Rapid, Reusable Flight Iterations
- Iterate rapidly by flying many small, reusable fab ships and learning from each flight.
- Design for quick load-and-go swaps and return-to-Earth validation to speed scale-up.
Clipper-Class Test Flights First
- Besxar's Clipper-class fab ships will do short sorties filled with terrestrial wafers to test handling.
- Data from launch, space time, and reentry will guide scaling to higher production.