The space sector is a source of economic growth, jobs and exports, contributing to all Key Strategic Orientations of the EU strategic plan. Faced with growing competition and technological disruption, it is drastically vital to act in support of European space launchers development to preserve European independent access to space. European launchers must improve their competitiveness by halving launch price in the short term. In the long term, Europe will create common building blocks for an integrated and competitive European family of launchers of all scales with reusability functionalities. The purpose of ENLIGHTEN is to develop and test advanced production means and technologies for reusable rocket engines, following on the Prometheus® ESA program, in order to create a family of reusable, high-power engines fueled by bio-methane or green hydrogen. In the continuity of ENLIGHTEN, ENLIGHTEN-ED aims at maturate enabling technologies, subsystems, tools and processes by bringing them to TRL5/6. Then, ENLIGHTEN-ED will demonstrate the above technologies by engine on-ground demonstration tests by 2026 to reach TRL7. In the frame of ENLIGHTEN-ED, a tailored consortium (including major aerospace actors, SME, RTO and an university) will prepare a demonstrator of green high thrust engine (GTHE) based on liquid hydrogen using: - The latest advances in additive manufacturing to reduce the cost and number of engine parts, - Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to develop the first space engine health Monitoring System in Europe necessary to implement reusability, - New ultra-low-cost subsystems as engine ignition system, nozzle extension, electric valves and multi-functional lines. Therefore, ENLIGHTEN-ED will demonstrate the ability of such an ultra-low-cost engine to be rapidly operational and available for all European launcher families and thus strive to increase the competitiveness of European GTHE.

There is an increasing demand for advanced materials with temperature capability in highly corrosive environments for aerospace. Rocket nozzles of solid/hybrid rocket motors must survive harsh thermochemical and mechanical environments produced by high performance solid propellants (2700-3500°C). Thermal protection systems (TPS) for space vehicles flying at Mach 7 must withstand projected service temperatures up to 2500°C associated to convective heat fluxes up to 15 MWm-2 and intense mechanical vibrations at launch and re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The combination of extremely hot temperatures, chemically aggressive environments and rapid heating/cooling is beyond the capabilities of current materials. Main purpose of C3HARME is to design, develop, manufacture, test and validate a new class of out-performing, reliable, cost-effective and scalable Ultra High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (UHTCMCs) based on C or SiC fibres/preforms enriched with ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) capable of in-situ repairing damage induced during operation in severe aerospace environments. C3HARME will apply to two main applications: near-ZERO erosion rocket nozzles that must maintain dimensional stability during firing in combustion chambers, and near-ZERO ablation thermal protection systems enabling hypersonic space vehicles to maintain flight performance. C3HARME represents a well-balanced mix of innovative and consolidated technologies, mitigating the level of risk intrinsic in top-notch research and innovation development. C3HARME starts from TRL of 3-4 and focuses on TRL 6 thanks to a strong industrial partnership, including SMEs and large companies. To reach TRL 6, rocket nozzles and TPS tiles with realistic dimensions and shape will be fabricated, assembled into a suitable system, and validated in a relevant ambient (environment centered test). Project results could be easily extended to the energy, medical and/or nuclear environments.

The space sector is a source of economic growth, jobs and exports, participating in all Key Strategic Orientations of the EU strategic plan. Faced with growing competition and technological disruption it is vital to act in support of European space launcher development in order to preserve European independendant access to space. Confronted with smaller market than competitors and lower launch prices, European launchers must improve their competitiveness by halving launch price in the short term. In the long term, Europe will create common building blocks for an integrated and competitive European array of launchers of all scales with reusability functionalities. Europe must thus concentrate efforts on liquid propulsion system which can be half of the launcher cost and is an critical for reusability. In the frame of ENLIGHTEN (European iNitiative for Low cost, Innovative & Green High Thrust Engine), the consortium will strive to increase the competitiveness of european High thrust engine by preparing a demonstrator of Green High Thrust Engine based on Liquid Hydrogen using: • The latest advances in additive manufacturing to reduce the cost and number of engine parts • Edge AI & machine learning algorithm to develop the first space engine Health Monitoring System in Europe necessary to implement reusability • New low cost subsystems in Engine ignition, nozzle extension, valves and integrated flexible lines This future demonstrator, ENLIGHTEN, will achieve its goal of developing new technologies, would be tested in the frame of a future project in the High Thrust Engine P5 test facilities of DLR. ENLIGHTEN will achieve its goal to lower the cost of launch engines with its consortium mixing aerospace actors like ArianeGroup, AVIO, DLR and ONERA with start ups and SME working on ALM and AI as well as research organization/academia such as FraunHofer and KU Leuven and will rely on AZO to ensure dissemination of the results to benefit all industries of the EU.

The DISCO2030 project aims to develop two innovative hybrid manufacturing methods for joining dissimilar metal-metal and metal-polymer materials. Both proposed methods are underpinned by additive manufacturing (AM) technologies from the emerging technology families of Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED). DISCO2030 combines the advantages of PBF and DED to enable the manufacturing of multi-material lightweight, complex geometry components/structures that are able to operate in harsh environments. The process is expected to achieve a ≥20% lead time reduction compared to state-of-the-art manufacturing processes (such as die casting and brazing) and manufacture multi-material parts that have a 50% lower weight compared to reference products and a 30% higher performance (achieved among others by graded materials). The three use-cases to be demonstrated in the project are of high relevance to the EU economy and include a rocket engine, a marine engine and a cryogenic hydrogen tank for primary applications in the automotive sector. All components manufactured using the novel DISCO hybrid manufacturing methods will be subjected to rigid testing according to the respective industry standards. DISCO2030 is expected to generate significant impact by paving the way for the creation of new dissimilar material joining and testing standards, strengthening the EU’s leadership in AM technologies and increasing the EU’s resilience against global supply chain disruptions. Finally, DISCO2030 will contribute to the reinvention of the European aerospace, marine and automotive sectors, ultimately providing EU citizens with better, more sustainable and cost-effective transportation.

Solid rocket motors are today the most cost effective, competitive and reliable propulsion technology for space launch systems. State of the art solid rocket propellants are based on the oxidizer ammonium perchlorate, AP, and aluminium powder, embedded in a polymer binder matrix. Unfortunately, AP has a negative impact on the environment and on personal health due to ozone depletion, thyroid gland interference and acid rain formation. The objective of the GRAIL project is to determine if it is possible to replace AP by using a mixture of the new green high energy density oxidizer ammonium dinitramide, ADN, and the low cost oxidizer ammonium nitrate, AN. A high energy density green solid propellant will be developed and compared with state of the art solid propellants with respect to safety, performance and cost, to determine if replacing AP with ADN/AN is a feasible option. The results will serve as important input for decision makers when considering development of future European launch systems.