Fortastra and Hadrian Partner to 3D Print Satellites Faster

Fortastra, the Los Angeles company building satellites for national security and commercial missions, signed a memorandum of understanding with Hadrian on July 29, 2026. The deal brings Hadrian's automated precision machining and additive manufacturing into Fortastra's spacecraft design process, rather than treating the manufacturer as a downstream supplier.

The two companies will evaluate metal and polymer 3D printing, directed energy deposition, binder jetting, CNC machining, EDM, laser cutting, cold spray, friction stir welding, and composite manufacturing. The goal is to figure out which processes reduce cost, weight, and production time for Fortastra's satellite bus platforms.

Hadrian runs factories in Hawthorne and Torrance, California, and is building a 270,000-square-foot facility in Mesa, Arizona. The company has raised roughly $500 million and has experience scaling production for defense and aerospace customers. Fortastra will contribute spacecraft design and qualification expertise.

Satellite demand is growing, but production bottlenecks still slow delivery. By integrating Hadrian's manufacturing capabilities early in the design phase, Fortastra hopes to avoid the redesign cycles that typically eat into schedules. The companies did not disclose financial terms or a timeline for first parts.

The partnership reflects a broader shift in aerospace toward earlier manufacturer involvement, where additive manufacturing moves from a post-design afterthought to a core engineering input.