AstroForge

AstroForge is a deep-space mining company that designs and manufactures spacecraft equipped with in-situ refining systems to extract platinum group metals from metallic near-Earth asteroids. The company's refinery technology vaporizes asteroid material and separates it into elemental compounds using proprietary methods, operating in the vacuum environment of space. AstroForge's spacecraft platforms include Brokkr-1, a 6U CubeSat demonstration mission launched in 2023; Odin, a deep-space reconnaissance vehicle designed for asteroid characterization; and Vestri, a docking spacecraft for surface analysis and extraction preparation. The company operates from Seal Beach, California, and has received the first-ever Federal Communications Commission license for commercial deep-space operations beyond the Earth-Moon system.

AstroForge differentiates itself from earlier asteroid mining ventures by focusing exclusively on high-value platinum group metals—used in automotive catalysts, electronics, and hydrogen fuel cells—rather than propellant or bulk materials. The company maintains partnerships with Intuitive Machines for deep-space transportation and SpaceX for orbital testing. Leadership includes CEO Matt Gialich, formerly of SpaceX and Virgin Orbit, and CTO Jose Guzman from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The company operates as a privately funded venture-backed entity.