Project description DEENESFRITPL A superconducting magnet could help shield the next generation of spacecraft When spacecraft enter the atmosphere of another planet or re-enter the earth's atmosphere, they are travelling at tremendous speeds. This heats the air around the spacecraft to temperatures so high that chemical bonds of gases in the air are broken, producing plasma, a gas of electrically charged particles, that surrounds the spacecraft. Heat shields are thus critical to the protection of people and equipment. Conventional heat shields rely on ablation, or the heating of materials covering the aircraft which carry away heat with them as they come off. The idea of using superconducting magnets to alter the flow of the high-temperature ionised gas produced on re-entry has been around for a couple of decades but has so far remained the stuff of science fiction. The EU-funded MEESST project is on a mission to make it a reality, with active magnetic shielding for atmospheric entry supported by state-of-the-art simulations that open the door to terrestrial and other space applications as well. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective (Re-)entry into planetary atmospheres represents one of the most critical phases of space missions, involving high thermal loads on the vehicle surface and radio communication blackout which can last for minutes. As demonstrated with previous scientific studies, magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) provides a framework for tackling both issues: high enough electromagnetic (EM) fields can be used to reduce heat fluxes and create a magnetic windowing able to mitigate the blackout. However, the translation of those ideas into an operational radically-new science-enabled technology to be used onboard spacecrafts has not been achieved yet. MEESST aims at filling the gap between science and technology towards the development of a first demonstrator implementing active magnetic shielding. To this end, a disruptive device consisting of a compact cryostat integrating a superconductive magnet able to generate sufficiently strong magnetic fields will be designed, manufactured, tested in on-ground experimental plasma facilities and via numerical simulations relying upon improved models. The latter will take into account, for the first time, all relevant EM-plasma interactions, thermochemical nonequilibrium and radiation effects for both Earth and Mars atmospheres. As a result, a radically-new science-enabled proof-of-concept technology will be developed and deployed, together with enhanced experimental techniques and modelling tools which can contribute to push European space technology one step ahead the competition, worldwide. The success of MEESST can introduce a paradigm shift in aerospace science and technology by turning active magnetic shielding (i.e. a futuristic concept traditionally associated to science fiction) into reality and potentially into the spotlight, not just for space travel but also for future hypersonic transportation systems, radar imaging, surveillance and GPS navigation, all requiring accurate knowledge of EM signal propagation characteristics through plasmas. Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringastronautical engineeringspacecraftengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradarhumanitieslanguages and literatureliterature studiesliterary genresessaysscience fiction Keywords Atmospheric entry magnetohydrodynamics superconductors radio blackout plasma flow control Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Main Programme H2020-EU.1.2.1. - FET Open Topic(s) FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020 - FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking Call for proposal H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN Net EU contribution € 534 450,00 Address Oude markt 13 3000 Leuven Belgium See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Participants (9) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all ABSOLUT SYSTEM SAS France Net EU contribution € 350 000,00 Address Rue des murailles 2 38170 Seyssinet pariset See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes Isère Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART Germany Net EU contribution € 600 000,00 Address Keplerstrasse 7 70174 Stuttgart See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart Stuttgart, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 THEVA DUNNSCHICHTTECHNIK GMBH Germany Net EU contribution € 305 625,00 Address Rote kreuz strasse 8 85737 Ismaning See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Landkreis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 AEDS SARL Switzerland Net EU contribution € 150 250,00 Address Plan cerisier 1921 Martigny croix See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Valais / Wallis Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 VON KARMAN INSTITUTE FOR FLUID DYNAMICS Belgium Net EU contribution € 499 733,75 Address Waterloose steenweg, 72 1640 Sint-genesius-rode See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Halle-Vilvoorde Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 NEUTRONSTAR SYSTEMS UG Germany Net EU contribution € 282 140,00 Address Moltkestr 127 50674 Cologne See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 349 280,00 Address Highfield SO17 1BJ Southampton See on map Region South East (England) Hampshire and Isle of Wight Southampton Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE Germany Net EU contribution € 256 828,75 Address Kaiserstrasse 12 76131 Karlsruhe See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Karlsruhe, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITE DU LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg Net EU contribution € 153 750,00 Address 2 avenue de l'universite 4365 Esch-sur-alzette See on map Region Luxembourg Luxembourg Luxembourg Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00