Space-based earth observation missions are an essential building block gaining the data to understand our planet. In particular, space missions which are enhanced by laser-based instruments enable new ways of monitoring the atmosphere or the planet’s surface. The availability of space-qualified TRL 6 high performance coated Alexandrite laser crystals within Europe is a major enabling technology for future earth observation space missions. For this reason, the GALACTIC project aims for the creation of the complete supply chain solely by European industry for high performance, high quality, high power, coated Alexandrite laser crystals. For this goal, two industrial partners and a research institute team up to combine their complementing expertise and reach this ambitious goal. Optomaterials S.r.l. (Italy) as expert in single crystal growth will advance Alexandrite crystal growth and machining techniques to produce high-quality Alexandrite laser crystals. Altechna Coatings (Lithuania) will contribute its expertise on high performance optical coatings and characterization methods to develop space-compliant, highly durable optical coatings specifically tailored for Alexandrite pulsed laser operation. Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (Germany) as a research institute with strong experience in the development of laser sources for space applications will develop demonstrator laser systems based on the newly developed Alexandrite crystals proving their superior lasing performance. The combined forces of these outstanding partners will enable a detailed TRL 6 qualification of the coated Alexandrite crystals within the GALACTIC project making these crystals a new purely European product to be utilized in future space missions by the space industry. The development will by accompanied by strategic dissemination activities promoting the activities of GALACTIC to a broad audience.

Lidar is a high-performance system for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from space at a global scale. However, this type of instrument generally includes a complex laser system which has led in the past to significant delays of several European payloads (e.g. ADM-Aeolus, EarthCARE or MERLIN). HALLOA targets the development of a hybrid laser architecture, less complex than current free-space lasers, for greenhouse gas monitoring by Lidar. This laser architecture combines the advantages of fiber-based systems (compact and alignment-free) with those of free-space direct generation systems (high power). This development aims to reach the genuine optical performance for Lidar CO2/H2O monitoring from space and, for independency purpose, to use EU-only components/sub-systems. HALLOA will: 1- Develop new EU industrial capabilities and reach EU independency for two key critical sub-systems of the hybrid laser: the 2,05 m pulsed fiber amplifier and the high-power laser diode at 793 nm 2- Space qualify to TRL6, the pulsed fiber amplifier at 2.05m and the high-power laser pump diode at 793 nm 3- Demonstrate experimentally that a complete hybrid laser system, built with EU-only components/sub-systems, can meet the space-mission requirements for Lidar CO2/H2O monitoring. Finally, HALLOA will provide a technical roadmap to establish a European supply chain for the 2m hybrid-laser system for Lidar application, including a business plan for commercial exploitation of the pulsed fiber amplifier at 2m and a strategy for space mission insertion. The project involves 6 entities, including 3 non-profit research entities (ONERA, LMD, LZH), 2 industry key-players (KEOPSYS, LPI) and 1 SME (ERDYN). It will pave the way for building a cutting-edge and competitive European supply-chain. The TRL6 demonstration of a hybrid laser system in the eye-safe region for Lidar CO2 measurements will represent a major step forward for EU technological independence in this domain.

The development of methods to isolate and generate human stem cells along with technology to selectively differentiate them into specific cell and tissue types has excited many with the promise of the ability to study human cell function and utilise them for regeneration in disease and trauma. However, to date, attempts to develop regenerative brain and central nervous system therapies have been disappointing, with the introduced stem cell derived neurons not integrating nor signalling physiologically with endogenous cells. A major confounding issue has been that derived neurons are grown in two dimensions, which does not mimic the in vivo three dimensional interactions nor the myriad developmental cues they would receive in vivo. We will develop functional three dimensional human stem cell derived neural networks of defined and reproducible architecture, based on that of a brain cortical module that will display in vivo connectivity and activity. The networks will be seeded on nano-scale designed femtosecond laser printed scaffolds using novel polymerisation methods that will allow electrical stimulation, simultaneous recording and light sheet imaging during development and at maturation to interrogate network function. Cells will be seeded at and will develop at specific, defined points on the network scaffold, enabling the growth of realistic and reproducible functional neuronal networks. The proposal seeks to provide fabricated reproducible scaffolds that can be produced on a large scale. These concepts are far outside what is currently pursued in the field. The development of such a technological platform will be foundational for a new era of biological and medical research based on human neural networks. Cellular neuroscience research and pharmaceutical drug discovery will be transformed and we envisage that within 15 years iPSC derived networks from individual patients will be re-implanted to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia and trauma