These companies are leading the charge to manufacture materials in space

France Nouvelles Nouvelles

Space offers a unique environment for research and development because its higher levels of radiation, microgravity and near vacuumless state allow companies to come up with new manufacturing methods or materials that are not possible on Earth. CNBC spoke with two companies, California-based Varda Space Industries and UK-based Space Forge, to see how the startups hope to make manufacturing in space a profitable business.