Liquid Propulsion Technologies for Future Space Transportation (FIRST! Propulsion)

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.

Call objectives

The goal of this call for ideas is to: 

• Identify Technology Providers in certain technology fields which are key for future European Space Transportation (see below) 
• Identify Space Transportation Service Providers and Industrial Primes interested in technology disruptions in these fields, their needs and preferences 
• Identify potential Investors interested in key Technology Providers for ESA future STS.

This present OSIP call for ideas shall serve as a first identification of technology disruptors, interests and motivations. In a next step, following this call for ideas, FIRST! Requests for Quotation for Technology Disruptors maturation will be issued following ESA procedures where full proposals for activities will be able to be submitted by the Technology Providers.