China first tested high-precision laser cutting in outer space.
Chinese scientists have demonstrated for the first time precision laser cutting technology directly in orbit. The experiment took place at Tiangong Station on July 30, 2026.
A laser device installed on a robotic manipulator was able to process a large bone with a precision of millimeters. The control was carried out remotely from Earth, without the participation of astronauts in outer space.
The development was created by experts from Huazhong University of Science and Technology together with the Shanghai Institute of Space Power Sources.
In the future, such systems may be used to repair orbital stations, maintain satellites and build large space structures.
However, there is another side to the technology: powerful lasers in orbit can be used as weapons against spacecraft.