Contribute to the future of space transportation by disruptive innovations

FIRST! is an initiative of the ESA STS Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP). Its goals are to identify innovative and promising technology disruptors benefitting future European Space Transportation (ST) and to accelerate their derisking through rapid prototyping and testing. ESA market and system studies indicate that the most cost-effective and performant space transportation system on the 2025-2050 horizon relies on a routine access to space with reusable launchers injecting payloads on high parking orbits, combined with a “hub and spoke” in-space logistics network to reach the final destination (e.g. constellations phasing, exploration missions…) and then provide transportation support for in-orbit servicing.