Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Inflatable Concept Aeroshell for the Recovery of a re-Usable launcher Stage (a flight demonstration initiative)

Project description

Re-entry and descent technologies for reusable launchers

The renewed interest in space transportation, exploration and research has driven numerous advancements while also increasing manufacturing and maintenance costs. To address this, many organisations are developing innovative methods and technologies to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency. The EU-funded ICARUS project aims to advance re-entry solutions and validate the recovery of space transport vehicles through demonstration. It will introduce an innovative inflatable heat shield for recovering launch vehicle stages. The project will also refine key technologies, demonstrate their efficiency, enhance evaluations, and leverage the expertise of various partners and predecessor projects.

Objective

The ICARUS initiative targets to fulfil the following call’s objectives:
1) contribution to the maturation up to TRL5-6 of enabling new technologies and subsystems (including common building blocks) in
the field of re-entry solutions for space transportation;
2) maturation up to subsystem and system level technology demonstration with respect to the technologies for recovery of Space
Transport vehicles elements: launcher stages;
In that regard, the project will address the innovative re-entry solution based on Inflatable Heat Shields (IHS), deemed applicable for
recovery of Launch Vehicles stages.
In order to demonstrate applicability of this innovative solution for the purpose above, the project will pursue the following endgoals:
a) complete the maturation on ground of the key technologies enabling the Inflatable Heat shields: Flexible TPS and Inflatable
Structure;
b) carry out a mission/system design loop to realize and fly (in relevant environment) a meaningful-scale demonstrator of an
Inflatable Heat Shield through a flight on board a sounding rocket where the upper part of the rocket will be recovered thanks to the
IHS Demonstrator;
c) execute post-flight analysis and rebuilding for technology performance evaluation, system behaviour identification, and models
verification/cross-correlation;
The project will lean not only on the achievements and know-how obtained in the frame of the father projects EFESTO/EFESTO-2
(respectively funded by H2020 and Horizon Europe first-batch) but also on the partners ‘heritage in the re-entry and flight
demonstration field consolidated through past/recent projects.
The current programmatic picture of the initiative is:
• to lean on a full EU consortium
• to complete the project in a ≈ 4-year plan
• to carry out 1 flight campaign in EU with exploitation of EU assets (test range, sounding rockets, ground segment)

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

DEIMOS ENGINEERING AND SYSTEMS SLU
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 469 750,00
Address
C FRANCIA 9 POLIGONO INDUSTRIAL LA NAVA III
13500 PUERTOLLANO
Spain

See on map

Region
Centro (ES) Castilla-La Mancha Ciudad Real
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 999 125,00

Participants (10)

My booklet 0 0