Skip to content

In-Space Assembly and Joining (ISAM) — Technology Landscape

Created: 2026-04-06 (session 48)
Evidence base: TechPort projects [156390], [94090], [146998], [147009], [147006], [155259], [157858], [184352], [113487], [154537], [158612], [182205] + documents

Summary

NASA is developing a portfolio of in-space joining technologies needed to assemble spacecraft, habitats, and large structures on-orbit or on the lunar surface. The portfolio spans five distinct technology approaches (laser welding, friction stir welding, thermoplastic composite joining, solar welding, and reversible adhesion) across multiple programs (TDM, GCD, FO, SBIR, IRAD). The dominant player is Lockheed Martin, which has three concurrent NASA collaborations on in-space joining. The highest-priority program-of-record is Joining Demonstrations In-Space [156390] (TDM, TRL 4→8, Oct 2026) — but TRL 8 by October 2026 is highly uncertain given the project is still at TRL 4 as of February 2026.

Application contexts: commercial space stations (assembly of habitat modules), large space telescope assembly, in-space spacecraft manufacturing, lunar surface construction.

Heritage: CIRAS → ACOs → Joining Demos

The current Joining Demos TDM project [156390] has a clear lineage:

CIRAS (2016–2018)

94090 | TDM | Northrop Grumman | TRL 4→5 (target 6 — missed)

CIRAS (Commercial Infrastructure for Robotic Assembly and Servicing) was the first major TDM in-space joining program. Key technology: TALISMAN (Tension Actuated Long-reach In-Space Manipulator) — a long-reach cable-driven robot arm designed for reaching distant points on a large spacecraft. Ground demonstration assembled a substantial aluminum truss structure (~20 feet) with motion-capture cameras for positional tracking. Demonstrated reversible mechanical and electrical connections.

PM team: Dankanich/Peugeot/Kenny (same team that runs [156390]).

CIRAS TALISMAN assembling aluminum truss at ground test facility, ~2016

TRL target was 6; achieved TRL 5. This missed-TRL-target pattern recurs throughout TDM.

Gap (2018–2023): No TDM in-space joining program for 5 years. Lockheed Martin-focused ACO collaborations bridged this.

ACO Collaborations (2023–2025)

Two unfunded Space Act Agreements between NASA and Lockheed Martin, run concurrently with Joining Demos:

SMART-C [146998] | GCD ACO | MSFC + Lockheed Martin | Completed Sept 2025
Goal: demonstrate in-space manufacturing of thermoplastic composites achieving "an order-of-magnitude improvement" vs. traditional methods. Focus: induction or resistance welding of fiber-reinforced polymer composites. PM: John Fikes (MSFC); PD: Werkheiser/Thornblom. States: AL, LA, MD, OH, VA — broad partner network.

FABORM [147009] | GCD ACO | LaRC + Lockheed Martin | Completed Sept 2025
Goal: advanced forming of FSW (Friction Stir Welded) blanks for large metallic structures targeting cislunar/lunar infrastructure. LaRC and Lockheed had invested independently in FSW and advanced forming "for the past decade." PM: Wesley Tayon (LaRC); PD: Werkheiser/Thornblom. Target: "geometries capable of accommodating docking ports, hatches, windows."

Both ACOs ran April 2023 – September 2025, concurrent with Joining Demos (which started August 2023). The ACOs appear to be the R&D feeder work, with results intended to flow into the TDM demonstration program.

Joining Demonstrations In-Space (2023–2026)

156390 | TDM | Lockheed Martin | TRL 4→8 target | Oct 2026
PI: Robert W. Biggs (Lockheed, Palo Alto CA). PM: Dankanich/Peugeot/Kenny.

Scope: three categories of joining in one program: 1. Structural — likely FSW for metallic structures (FABORM heritage) and/or thermoplastic composite welding (SMART-C heritage) 2. Electrical — conductive connections (critical for power/signal in modular spacecraft) 3. Fluid — hermetic sealed joints (for propellant lines, coolant loops, life support)

This three-category scope is exactly what you need to fully assemble a spacecraft in orbit: you need to join the structure, run electricity through the joints, and connect fluid lines.

TRL 8 concern: As of February 2026 (last update), still at TRL 4. October 2026 deadline is 8 months away. TRL 8 ("system complete and qualified") is an extremely ambitious target. CIRAS (similar scope, 2 years) only reached TRL 5. No library items have appeared. Confidence: Joining Demos will close at TRL 5–6, not 8. This would follow the same pattern as MMPACT, Mason, CDM, LEAPFROG, LOXSAT 1, and Blue Origin PRO-TP — all TDM projects that missed TRL targets by 2–3 levels.

View count of 4,769 suggests the ISAM community is watching closely.

Technology Types

1. Laser Beam Welding (Government-led, MSFC)

The most actively researched approach — three parallel MSFC programs:

Reduced-Gravity Laser Welding [155259] | FO | MSFC + LaRC + OSU | TRL 4→6
August 2024: first-ever demonstration of high-power fiber laser beam welding under simultaneous high vacuum AND microgravity AND lunar gravity — using parabolic flight. PI: Karen Taminger. Produced "the first validation dataset of its kind." No library items despite the flight milestone. Results live in description text only. See also: lunar-surface-construction.md

Suborbital Laser Beam Welding [157858] | MSFC IRAD | Completed Dec 2024 | TRL 4→5
Hardware prototype built: conformal vacuum chamber, laser generator, weld head ("XLRS"), weld camera, battery power. Key design feature: "conformal vacuum chamber" creates a local vacuum envelope around the weld area — needed for testing, not for actual in-space operations (where space vacuum is free). TRL 5 achieved — demonstrated in relevant environment. Target TRL 6 (suborbital flight) not achieved within the IRAD period.

MSFC suborbital LBW prototype at end of FY24 — weld head, conformal vacuum chamber, and camera mounted on rotary stage with Ryobi 18V batteries

PI: Andrew O'Connor (MSFC). Co-Is: Richard Cooper, Tom Bryan, Chris Protz, Jeffrey Sowards. PM: John Dankanich.

Digitally and Swarm Robotics Enabled In-space Welding [184352] | MSFC IRAD | UTEP + MSFC | TRL 1→4 | Completed Jan 2026
Autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic methods for in-space laser welding. ML classification: TX08.1.5 Lasers (despite TX12 human classification). PI: Fredrick Michael (MSFC). PM: John Dankanich.

Computational backbone — ICME [158612] | SBIR/STTR | CFD Research Corporation | TRL 3→5 | Active
ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering) framework predicting the effects of in-space and planetary environments on weld quality and material properties. Pipeline: thermal process models → microstructure grain models → mechanical property predictions. Validated against both terrestrial AND flight data. PI: J. Vernon Cole. The flight data validation component links directly to [155259] parabolic flight results.

Weld-ASSIST 182205 | STRG | University of Illinois Chicago | TRL 2→4 | Active | Jan 2025 cohort
Digital twin for in-space weld quality — simulates weld parameters and predicts quality in microgravity and planetary environments. Supporting academic research for the joining community. Start date 2025-01-27, same cohort as [182219].

Lunar Metal Welding Computational Framework 182219 | STRG | see live record | TRL 2→4 | Active | Jan 2025 cohort
Computational materials modeling for laser welding in the lunar environment. Focus: process-structure-property linkage with internal defects — keyhole instability, molten pool collapse, rapid solidification in low-gravity and vacuum conditions. "Internal defects are always formed in laser welding due to keyhole instability; the extreme lunar environment complicates implementation, enhancing defect formation." This is the materials modeling complement to Weld-ASSIST's process simulation. Start date 2025-01-27. 620 views.

The two January 2025 STRG welding projects are both computational (not physical hardware): [182205] simulates weld quality holistically; [182219] models defect formation mechanisms at the materials level. Both support the experimental work at MSFC ([155259] parabolic flight) and the ICME framework [158612].

2. Friction Stir Welding (Lockheed + LaRC, Boeing)

FABORM [147009] — Lockheed + LaRC collaboration on FSW blank forming (described above). Heritage of 10+ years of internal Lockheed/LaRC FSW investment. Target: large metallic structures for cislunar infrastructure.

Boeing Complex Curvature FSW [147006] | GCD | Boeing | Completed Sept 2025
Distinct from Lockheed's FSW work: Boeing is developing FSW for ground-based manufacturing of commercial habitat modules — specifically, welding complex 3D-curved aluminum geometries to accommodate docking ports, hatches, and windows. Boeing explicitly stated plans to "implement this capability into their habitat product line." This is a direct commercial space station manufacturing capability (Orbital Reef context, not in-space assembly).

FSW Academic Support: Ohio State [96151] (self-reacting FSW modeling, TRL 4), IERUS Technologies AFS-D [113049, 102458] (additive friction stir deposition for repair, TRL 5), multiple SBIR FSW tool material projects (QuesTek, Transition45 Technologies).

3. Thermoplastic Composite Welding (Lockheed + MSFC)

SMART-C [146998] — Lockheed + MSFC ACO (described above). Thermoplastic composites offer "order-of-magnitude improvement" in manufacturing efficiency. Induction or resistance welding melts the thermoplastic matrix and fuses parts without bolts or adhesives — fast, strong, repeatable, and reversible. TRL 0→0 in TechPort (unfunded ACO), but substantial industry investment over prior decade. Completed Sept 2025, results feed Joining Demos.

Academic support: AnalySwift [158045] (Phase I SBIR, thermoplastic composite disassembly with embedded carbon nano-heaters, TRL 1→3), Temper Inc. [113591] (smart susceptor welding of thermoplastic composites, TRL 3→4).

4. Solar-Powered Orbital Welding (Blueshift/Outward Technologies)

SO-WARM [154537] | SBIR/STTR | Blueshift/Outward Technologies | TRL 4→5 | Completed
Solar On-Orbit Welder for Repair, Assembly, and Manufacturing. Distinctive approach: uses concentrated solar energy (Fresnel lens + redirecting mirror) as the primary heat source — no batteries or laser generators needed. Robot clamps to the target structure and focuses sunlight onto the weld area. Applications: satellite repair, habitat assembly, structural joining.

SO-WARM concept: Fresnel lens collects sunlight, redirecting mirror focuses it at weld head on space habitat

Advantage: leverages free and abundant solar energy with no consumables. Limitation: works only in sunlight, problematic for shadowed operations or lunar poles. Current TRL: 4–5 (SBIR Phase II complete). No follow-on visible in TechPort. PI: Alan Carter.

5. Reversible Adhesive Joining (ATSP Innovations)

113487 | SBIR/STTR | ATSP Innovations | TRL 6
Aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP) reversible adhesive. Enables disassembly and reconfiguration of space structures — critical for modular construction. Reached TRL 6 via SBIR Phase I→II pipeline. The highest TRL of any in-space joining technology in TechPort. No follow-on GCD/TDM program visible — this is a gap.

CIRAS → Joining Demos Lineage (Summary)

Program Period Lead TRL Achieved PM Team
CIRAS [94090] 2016–2018 Northrop Grumman 5 (target 6) Dankanich/Peugeot/Kenny
SMART-C [146998] 2023–2025 MSFC + Lockheed — (ACO) Werkheiser/Thornblom
FABORM [147009] 2023–2025 LaRC + Lockheed — (ACO) Werkheiser/Thornblom
Joining Demos [156390] 2023–2026 Lockheed Martin 4 → 8 target Dankanich/Peugeot/Kenny

TX Classification Note

[156390] TX mismatch: Human: TX12.4.1 Manufacturing Processes. ML: TX07.2.4 Microgravity Construction and Assembly. The tension is real: joining is a manufacturing process, but in-space joining only makes sense in the context of microgravity construction. The ML correctly identifies the purpose even though the technique is manufacturing. Confidence: suggestive that the human TX12.4.1 classification understates the strategic importance — this is construction infrastructure, not just a manufacturing process improvement.

TRL Status Table (April 2026)

Technology Project Program TRL (current) Target Status
Reversible adhesive ATSP [113487] SBIR 6 6 ✓ Complete
LBW suborbital prototype [157858] MSFC IRAD 5 6 Short
LBW parabolic flight [155259] FO 4→6 target 6 Active
SO-WARM solar welder [154537] SBIR 4–5 5 Complete
ICME models [158612] SBIR 3 5 Active
Joining Demos [156390] TDM 4 8 Concern
Weld-ASSIST digital twin 182205 STRG 2 4 Active
Lunar welding defect modeling 182219 STRG 2 4 Active

Open Threads

  1. Joining Demos TRL watch (Oct 2026) — Will Lockheed achieve TRL 8? Based on pattern analysis: prior TDM projects show consistent 2–3 level TRL shortfall vs. target. Check after Oct 2026 for closeout TRL. PM: Dankanich/Peugeot/Kenny.
  2. SMART-C and FABORM closeout data — Both ACOs completed Sept 2025. No library items in TechPort. If results exist (reports, test data), they are not in TechPort — another outcome tracking gap for ACO-type agreements.
  3. CIRAS TALISMAN lineage — Did TALISMAN's technology transfer to OSAM-1 or any follow-on? TechPort shows no explicit linkage. The TALISMAN robot arm has no further TechPort entries after CIRAS.
  4. ATSP reversible adhesive (TRL 6) orphan — Highest TRL in-space joining tech, no GCD/TDM follow-on visible. This is a technology waiting for an application.
  5. SO-WARM Phase III? — Solar welding TRL 5, no Phase III visible. If a commercial station decides to use robotic on-orbit repair, SO-WARM is the only solar-powered approach. Limited TechPort signal.
  6. Boeing habitat manufacturing + Lockheed in-space joining — Boeing Complex Curvature FSW is for ground manufacturing of habitat modules; Lockheed Joining Demos is for in-space joining. If Boeing Orbital Reef proceeds, both technologies would be needed. Is there coordination between these programs? Not visible in TechPort.

Cross-References