Mapping the unseen: exploring in-space manufacturing and designing a research path for supply chain methodological advancements

In-Space Manufacturing (ISM) involves the production of goods directly in the space environment. This is a paradigm shift from traditional Earth-based manufacturing. The paper aims to identify a structured research pathway to assess the opportunities of ISM from a supply chain perspective. Specifically, it was defined by a collaboration between specialists from different research centers and an industrial partner, following the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology. DSR was studied by identifying five process steps and four guidelines. The five steps were taken into account when considering the ISM supply chain, providing practical guidance for the research path. Importantly, the role of interoperability in enabling efficient data exchange and collaboration across different technological platforms and organizations is recognized as a key enabler for ISM. This led to identifying nine specific areas of contribution to the supply chain for ISM. The four guidelines guided the definition of the research path and enabled the future and sustainable development of a specific methodology for assessing an ISM opportunity from a supply chain perspective, highlighting the critical importance of interoperability in fostering innovation in space-based manufacturing.