Project description
Space’s potential for converting water into valuable propellants
Studies on terrestrial photosynthesis focus on how plants convert solar energy into chemical energy by capturing light. However, the space environment introduces additional constraints and challenges. The EU-funded Green SWaP project aims to harness the potential of space by converting water into valuable propellants, such as hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen, using solar energy for green propulsion. This approach seeks to enable low-cost, eco-friendly mobility solutions in space. By leveraging solar power, the project will introduce new chemical processes for producing and using hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen, enhancing spacecraft capabilities for renewable and self-sustainable space travel.
Objective
Similar to terrestrial photosynthesis, whereby plants convert solar energy into chemical energy through the capture of light energy, Green SWaP project seeks to harness this potentiality in space by converting water into highly valuable propellants, specifically hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen. Green SWaP will prove and validate a technology that will use solar energy to produce propellants from water for in-space green propulsion. It will be a crucial building block to enable innovative green propulsion solutions for in-space mobility, resulting in low-cost and eco-friendly innovative concepts. It is a novel approach, never developed for in-space mobility. Studies exist for terrestrial applications, but the space environment introduces additional constraints and dedicated challenges that the project will try to solve. The new technologies, based on innovative chemical processes, will harvest solar power to enable green propulsion. It is a plausible methodology because underlying technological concepts of producing/concentrating/storing hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen using solar energy have been proven (separately) even though for different constraints and conditions of use than in-space applications. Moreover, the combination of hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen has never been investigated in detail and the utilization of hydrogen for solar thermal propulsion is theoretically proven to be the most promising but it has never been developed as technology. The combination of these technologies will drastically increase future spacecrafts’ capabilities, facilitating renewable and self-sustainable in-space mobility. Optimisation concerning the quality and quantity of hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen produced onboard and the efficiency improvement will be fully explored.
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.
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.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering astronautical engineering spacecraft
- natural sciences biological sciences botany
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
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-EIC - HORIZON EIC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2023-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01
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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.
56126 PISA
Italy
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.