According to Redwire, the acquisition is part of its strategy towards in-space manufacturing in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This area, it believes, will “directly impact the sustainability of future human spaceflight and deliver optimized products for Earth-based industries”.
“Techshot’s space bioprinting and other proven biotech solutions in microgravity are some of the most consequential innovations in Low Earth Orbit with life-saving benefits on and off our home planet,” said the chairman and CEO of Redwire, Peter Cannito. “Adding Techshot’s leading position in commercial space biotechnology with Redwire’s leading position in on-orbit material manufacturing adds significant scale and synergy to our commercial space offerings. This is a giant leap forward in our vision for people living and working in space for the benefit of the terrestrial economy.”
Techshot is based in Floyd County, Indiana.
Four of its payloads are currently operating on the International Space Station and the company’s products include the 3D BioFabrication Facility: a system capable of manufacturing human tissue in microgravity; the Multi-use Variable-gravity Platform: containing a set of centrifuges for in-space biological and physical-science research; the Advanced Space Experiment Processor: a multipurpose device for biological research and small scale manufacturing in space; and the Bone Densitometer: an in-orbit X-ray machine chiefly used by Techshot customers for researching new treatments for osteoporosis and muscle wasting diseases.
“As part of Redwire, we now have more of the resources we need to help accelerate the development of our growing portfolio of new space biomedical technologies, while we continue to provide great service to our research and deep space exploration customers,” said Techshot President and Co-founder John Vellinger.
“We’re excited to be part of a leading company in the commercialisation – and indeed, the industrialisation – of low Earth orbit, and beyond.”
Redwire was one of the organisations involved in the recently announced Orbital Reef commercial space station, along with Boeing, Blie Origin, Genesis Engineering Solutions and Arizona State University.