Participants discuss their projects at the FLPP Spring Session on 2 April 2025
The future of European space transportation depends on lighter, reusable, and more cost-effective systems. Achieving that means shaping new technologies from early stages, supporting innovation with funding, focus and speed. That is the aim of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) programme for future space transportation, FLPP, which introduced a streamlined procurement model to accelerate development cycles for promising European technology.
The full cycle of this new procurement model has now been completed for the first time, with great results on moving space innovation forward at speed.
Under FLPP’s FIRST! initiative, four technology development projects have wrapped up within a remarkable 12 months, each reaching Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4, and moving toward commercial relevance. These results mark a significant milestone for FLPP’s new, more agile way of working, and are now being adopted and refined across the wider programme.
Participants discuss their projects at the FLPP Spring Session on 2 April 2025
From start to finish, an agile path to development
The process begins with an open call for ideas through ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP), followed by a pitch day where companies present their disruptive technologies directly to ESA and end-users. This early feedback helps teams align their plans with real market needs before submitting a full proposal.
After the pitch day, FIRST! issues an Invitation to Tender (ITT) which is open to all companies among the FLPP participating states, even those who did not participate in the earlier stages. Selected projects then enter a focused, ESA-supported development phase of around twelve months.
“We took a risk with this approach,” said Bernard Decotignie, the project engineer who led the Structures, Materials and Processes initiative, “but the results are exactly what we had hoped for. The new procurement model and project process gave companies and customers the chance to connect. The developers had space to think, to test, and to deliver. The participating companies ended up with real hardware, not just reports, and real conversations with customers.”
FIRST! proved that FLPP moves quickly and flexibly. Nine contracts were signed within eight to twelve weeks of the ITT deadline, and projects began soon after. Flexible management, reduced reporting, and the ability to adapt project scope midstream helped teams stay focused on outcomes. The model has since been taken up by other FLPP initiatives, including THRUST!, BEST! and other FIRST! campaigns, with further improvements introduced at each stage.
Accelerated Path to Technology Readiness
Each of the four completed projects resulted in working breadboards and confirmed TRL 4. In many cases, follow-up work toward TRL 5 is already underway.
OHB – SmartBeam (Czech Republic)
OHB, working with Czech Technical University and Compotech, developed health monitoring systems for composite structures by embedding carbon fibre and optical sensors into carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) tubes. The key challenge was maintaining structural strength while integrating the sensors.
Thermal cycling, compression, and impact testing validated the system’s performance. The project concluded with high-quality tubes containing embedded sensor systems. Next steps include repairability trials and refinement based on initial test data.
“FIRST! gave us a well-structured and efficient framework to develop our technology,” said Monika Gricová, Project Manager at OHB Czechspace. “The process was streamlined, the communication was open, and the collaboration with ESA and our technical partners worked really well. It was a great opportunity to develop and test our technology within a short timeframe.”
Compoxi – High-temperature polymeric nozzles (Spain)
Responding to a commercial request, Compoxi developed a reusable, high-temperature nozzle using polymeric materials. The design achieved up to 60% mass reduction and 12% cost savings compared to other materials, with refurbishment possible in just four days at 20% of the original cost.
Through full-scale breadboard, vibration, and flame testing, the nozzle reached TRL 4. Compoxi is now working with prospective customers to adapt the design to specific engine interfaces, with the goal of advancing to TRL 5.
FIRST! Structures, Materials and Processes panellists at the FLPP Spring Session on 2 April 2025
MT Aerospace – Reusable thermal protection system (Germany)
This project focused on a reusable, non-ablative thermal protection system for launcher rear bays. Developed in partnership with DLR, the system is designed for reuse, covering installation, inspection and refurbishment.
The breadboard demonstrator was successfully tested under launch-representative shaker conditions. TRL 4 was confirmed within the project timeframe. MT Aerospace is now pursuing further testing, with hopes of flying the system on a microlauncher.
ArianeGroup Bremen – Thermoplastic composite joining (Germany)
ArianeGroup, in collaboration with Herone and the German Space Agency DLR, developed two welding techniques for joining thermoplastic composite fluid lines. These were evaluated through cryogenic pressure and tensile testing. Both approaches offer reduced weight, lower production costs, and simpler assembly processes.
FIRST! Structures, Materials and Processes panellists at the FLPP Spring Session on 2 April 2025
Built with the market in mind
FIRST! put commercial viability at the centre of the process from the outset. The Pitch Day helps companies understand end-user needs, and evaluation criteria in the ITT rewards proposals with clear application paths.
That market-first mindset is paying off. Companies praised the environment FIRST! created for direct engagement with users, fast iteration, and early credibility. Several are already in talks with customers. ESA remains actively involved with all four completed teams, supporting roadmaps, technical follow-up, and commercial discussions. Five additional Structures, Materials and Processes projects funded through FIRST! are still under development and expected to conclude this summer.
Meanwhile, the FLPP model continues to evolve with new calls under THRUST!, BEST!, and InSPoC. An additional four FIRST! funding calls have been launched, covering avionics and GNC, propulsion, reusability technologies, and sustainability, which is currently open. FIRST! has shown that disruptive ideas can move from concept to validated hardware in under a year. More importantly, it has shown that ESA’s programme for future space transportation is not just about supporting innovation, but also crucially about shaping it – with industry and for industry.
Learn more about ESA’s future space transportation programme or contact Bernard Decotignie with questions about FIRST! at Bernard.Decotignie@esa.int.
