TAMPA, Fla. — Space Forge said Dec. 31 it generated plasma aboard its first satellite, a milestone the British startup says shows it can create and maintain conditions needed to produce valuable semiconductor materials in low Earth orbit (LEO).

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Jason Rainbow writes about satellite telecom, finance and commercial markets for SpaceNews. He has spent more than a decade covering the global space industry as a business journalist. Previously, he was Group Editor-in-Chief for Finance Information Group,...