---
title: "To Boost Internet Speeds, We’re Making Optical Fibers…In Space"
description: "Made In Space, the company that launched a 3D printer to the ISS, is now trying to make optical fibers in space in the hopes that they may have less impurities."
date: "2016-07-24"
modified: "2016-07-24"
authors:
  - name: "Jelor Gallego"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jelor-gallego.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/to-boost-internet-speeds-were-making-optical-fibers-in-space"
categories:
  - "3D Printing"
  - "Future Materials"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "3d printing"
  - "fiber optic"
  - "Internet speed"
---

# To Boost Internet Speeds, We’re Making Optical Fibers…In Space

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/A-Stockphoto.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: stockphoto\</em\>*

A popular goal right now is making things that boost internet speeds. Satellites, drones, new material—basically everything is being tapped to make our surfing of the net even faster. But one company has an ace up it's sleeve: The International Space Station.

[Made In Space,](<http://www.madeinspace.us/>) the company that owns and operates a 3D printer on the International Space Station, has announced that it is embarking on a new project: [Making optical fibers. In space.](<https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/13/made-in-space-plans-to-create-a-superior-optical-fiber-in-microgravity/>)

![undefined](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/made-in-space-infographic.png>)
*Made in Space*

Several companies, like Google Fiber, offer faster internet speeds by using fine, hair-like glass fibers with pulses of light. But this is limited by imperfections in the glass, such as certain glass impurities and micro-crystal formations.

The company hopes that a by making a "microgravity-optimized, miniature fiber drawing system," they can make better glass that offers better response time compared to traditional optical fiber.

To test this theory, the company will use their ISS facility to produce at least 100 meters of optical fiber, and then wait until that initial batch of fiber comes back down to Earth next year.

## More

- [New Device Could Make Networks More Efficient, Boost Internet Speeds](<https://futurism.com/new-device-make-networks-efficient-boost-internet-speeds.md>)
- [We Can Improve Fiber Optics by Filling Them With Air](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/improve-fiber-optics-filling-air.md>)
- [Nokia Reaches Terabit Internet Speeds, It’s 1,000 Times Faster Than Google’s Fiber](<https://futurism.com/nokia-reaches-terabit-internet-speeds-its-1000-times-faster-than-googles-fiber.md>)
- [Two Companies Are Going to Manufacture Optical Fibers in Space](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/optical-fibers-space.md>)
- [“Twisted Light” Could Create an Ultra-Fast Internet and Make Fiber Optics Obsolete](<https://futurism.com/twisted-light-could-create-an-ultra-fast-internet-and-make-fiber-optics-obsolete.md>)
- [New Terahertz Wireless Tech Could Allow For Fiber-Optic Speeds Without The Fiber](<https://futurism.com/new-terahertz-wireless-tech-allow-fiber-optic-speeds-without-fiber.md>)
- [San Francisco Has Approved a Plan For City-Wide Fiber Internet](<https://futurism.com/san-francisco-has-approved-a-plan-for-city-wide-fiber-internet.md>)
- [Scientists Managed to Transmit as Much Data as the Entire Internet’s Bandwidth](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-transmit-data-internet-bandwidth.md>)