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Orbital Composites

HardwareCampbell, USAFounded 2014· One of 1708 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops robotic additive manufacturing systems for large-scale, high-volume production of advanced aerospace and defense parts.

CEO / Founder
Amolak Badesha
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$6.2M
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
SBIR; AFWERX; US Space Force

Technology & Products

Key Products

Orb 1 printer; Orb OS; Starfighter X drone

Technological Advantage

5-10x cost/cycle-time reduction; 100x cost reduction for in-space antennas; scalable to automotive volumes.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces cost and cycle-time by 5-10x for aerospace parts and up to 100x for in-space antennas using robotic continuous-fiber printing.

How They Differentiate

Factory-first approach for mass production vs. prototyping; robotic scale and speed (3D printing + automation).

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Tier-1 aerospace, mobility/automotive, DoD, US Space Force

Industry Verticals

Aerospace/Defense; Automotive; Space Infrastructure

Competitors

Continuous Composites; ARRIS Composites; 9T Labs

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

5-10x cost/cycle-time advantage; 100x cost reduction for in-space antennas; zero-waste AMCM scalable to automotive cycles

Major Milestones

2023 SBIRs for in-space manufacturing; AFWERX TACFI award for Starfighter drone fleets; US Space Force award for space antenna factories; ORNL AMCM license (2020)

Notable Customers

US Air Force; US Space Force; US Department of Energy; Axiom Space; Northrop Grumman; Virtus; Oak Ridge National Laboratory

https://www.orbitalcomposites.com

Why this company matters

Orbital Composites positions itself as a factory-first additive manufacturing company focused on high-volume production rather than prototyping. Its core differentiator is robotic continuous-fiber printing, which deposits continuous carbon fiber or other reinforcements directly onto a print surface using a robotic arm. The company also developed Additive Molding Compression Molding (AMCM), a hybrid process that combines 3D printing with compression molding to achieve zero-waste production at cycle times comparable to automotive manufacturing.

The company's product line includes the Orb 1 printer, Orb OS control software, and the Starfighter X drone. Orbital targets tier-1 aerospace primes, automotive OEMs, and defense agencies, with named customers including the US Air Force, US Space Force, Northrop Grumman, Axiom Space, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Applications span large structural aircraft components, in-space antennas, and drone fleets. The company claims a 5-10x reduction in cost and cycle time for aerospace parts and up to 100x cost reduction for in-space antennas compared to traditional manufacturing.

Orbital's strategic moat rests on its patented robotic deposition and multi-material printing systems, as well as an exclusive license from ORNL for AMCM technology. Key partnerships with AFWERX, IACMI, and the US Space Force provide non-dilutive funding and government validation. However, the company faces competition from Continuous Composites, ARRIS Composites, and 9T Labs, all of which target similar continuous-fiber and high-throughput composite applications. With only $6.2M in disclosed funding, scaling from government contracts to commercial production volumes remains an open question.