Morpho Precision Supports Germany’s Horizon in Passing European Space Standards Outgassing Test

As global deployment of low-Earth-orbit satellites enters a period of explosive growth, “lightweighting” has shifted from a technological pursuit to a competitive necessity in the aerospace industry—every gram saved can cut launch costs by tens of thousands of dollars; every millimeter reduced can increase payload density. However, the outgassing effect in vacuum environments poses a formidable challenge: polymer-based 3D printing materials, under the extreme vacuum of space, continuously release condensable volatiles. This can cause metal coating delamination, substrate deformation, and functional failure, ultimately leading to component destruction. Thus, lightweighting is far more than simply replacing materials—when using metallized polymer components in place of traditional metal parts, preventing coating-interface delamination is a critical requirement.

Germany’s Horizon Microtechnologies—a specialist in micro-component additive manufacturing—has developed antennas that are six times lighter than conventional designs, supported by funding from the European Space Agency (ESA). By leveraging innovative micro/nano 3D printing, Horizon has overcome the long-standing space-grade challenge of vacuum outgassing, passing the European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) outgassing test. At the core of this breakthrough is Morpho Precision’s Projection Micro Stereolithography (PμSL) technology, demonstrating the potential of micro/nano 3D printing in extreme space environments.

Precision Breakthrough: Meeting the Rigors of Space Conditions

Horizon’s innovation combines Morpho’s PμSL technology with electroplating processes. Using the microArch® S240 industrial 3D printer (10 μm resolution), they fabricated polymer substrates which were then metallized with silver and copper coatings, enabling mass production of space-grade RF components and ultra-light antennas. These deliver significant weight reductions and energy efficiency improvements for satellite communication systems.

Recently, Horizon’s coated 3D-printed components successfully passed the stringent ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C certification. Tested for 24 hours in a vacuum (125 °C, 10⁻⁶–10⁻⁷ mbar), the results were exceptional:

· Total Mass Loss (TML): 0.354%

· Recovered Mass Loss (RML): 0.166%

· Collected Volatile Condensable Materials (CVCM): 0.000%

These values far exceeded standard requirements (RML < 1.00%, CVCM < 0.10%), proving that polymer additive manufacturing combined with coating processes can deliver long-term stability and reliability in space, removing a critical barrier to large-scale aerospace adoption of micro/nano 3D printing.

Technological Synergy Driving Industrialization

The deep synergy between Morpho’s technological ecosystem and Horizon’s coating innovations has been pivotal, underpinned by:

· Extreme lightweighting & structural freedom – With 2 μm optical resolution and high-tolerance control, PμSL breaks traditional manufacturing limits, enabling integrated complex structures across scales—from lightweight millimeter-wave antenna arrays to precision components like microchannels and microgears in MEMS.

· Multi-material integration & functional expansion – Post-processing such as electroplating allows a single polymer substrate to incorporate conductive materials (silver, copper), enabling electromagnetic shielding, signal transmission, and other multifunctional capabilities.

· Full-chain service & customized manufacturing – Morpho has built a global rapid-response network, delivering equipment and services to 40 countries and empowering nearly 2,500 research and industrial clients with end-to-end solutions from prototyping to volume production. Horizon complements this with its online store and fast, customized production for RF components.

Breaking Barriers Together, Building a New Industry Ecosystem

“These test results are a milestone for us—they validate the feasibility of combining micro/nano 3D-printed substrates with metallization for high-reliability aerospace applications. For years, vacuum outgassing, layer delamination, and surface embrittlement have cast doubt on coated 3D-printed parts. Today, we have shown these long-standing issues are being overcome.”
— Andreas Frölich, CEO of Horizon

As Horizon continues advancing in RF components, MEMS, and microfluidics, the boundaries of aerospace applications for micro/nano 3D printing are rapidly expanding—from lightweight satellite payloads toward in-orbit manufacturing and deep-space life-support systems.

As one of the few global suppliers capable of 2 μm industrial-grade precision, Morpho Precision’s collaboration with Horizon demonstrates that only by tightly integrating precision manufacturing, material science, and cross-disciplinary validation can the industry build a high-quality, cost-efficient, precision-driven technology ecosystem.