As launcher programmes advance across Europe, coordinating shared technical priorities is becoming a defining feature of how future access to space capabilities are being shaped. On 10 March, nearly 70 representatives from across the launcher value chain gathered at ESA HQ Daumesnil for the second Future Access to Space Club session. Hosted by FLPP, ESA’s programme for future space transportation, the event brought together industry participants, infrastructure operators, institutional stakeholders, new launcher entrants and specialised subsystem suppliers to discuss technical topics linked to ongoing launcher challenges across the continent.
Building on the momentum of the inaugural meeting, where ecosystem growth and shared ambitions took centre stage, the focus of this session was on implementation-related themes: safety approaches, propulsion testing activities and access to productivity-boosting facilities in the context of evolving launcher programmes across Europe.
“I believe this Club answers a real expectation of the launcher business companies. ESA is creating value in organising such events,” said Jean-Noel Caruana, FLPP programme manager at ESA Space Transportation directorate.
Flight Safety Integration and Shared Engineering Challenges
With launcher initiatives diversifying across Europe, compatibility between new systems and operational environments is increasingly being examined within broader engineering discussions. A dedicated session on autonomous flight termination systems addressed safety architectures, trajectory monitoring approaches and integration considerations relevant to current launcher development activities. Progress was presented on three FLPP FIRST! projects, led by SENER (Spain), GMV (Poland) and Qascom (Italy), and a complementary development from Thales Alenia Space Belgium, focusing on low-cost and reliable autonomous flight termination systems. The projects are developing hardware and software validated through hardware-in-the-loop testing, targeting TRLs 4-6.
Bringing launcher, spaceport and AFTS representatives together at the Club helped start a discussion about how they will work together to meet the range safety requirements, and get regulatory approval. The need for flight test data and the challenges of dealing with different approaches to flight safety regulation in each country were also highlighted.
Ground testing infrastructure emerged as one of the session’s most substantive topics. Providers from across Europe – from newer commercial sites such as Latitude’s TITAN centre at Paris-Vatry to established institutional facilities including DLR Lampoldshausen – presented proposed capabilities and discussed how access is being coordinated alongside growing development demand. ESA confirmed that its P3.1 test position at Lampoldshausen will return to service this summer, and presented a study on adapting P5 for high-thrust engine testing up to 2.5 MN.
Strategic Drivers Informing Technical Exchanges
The session also reflected how broader strategic factors are increasingly part of engineering discussions across Europe’s access to space community. Dual-use considerations featured prominently, with representatives from MBDA, Dassault, Avio and Indra Deimos contributing to a dedicated exchange. Launcher system development was discussed in relation to potential operational requirements such as responsiveness, mission assurance and deployment flexibility – a conversation that is becoming more relevant as European launcher programmes approach qualification and early operational stages.
Participants also identified artificial intelligence as a topic warranting more structured attention in future FLPP activities, with interest spanning trajectory optimisation, predictive maintenance and the use of advanced simulation in planning complex test campaigns.
As European launcher initiatives move towards early operational stages and beyond, platforms such as the Future Access to Space Club are providing the conditions for more coherent coordination across the community. Through a format that combines structured thematic sessions with private B2B exchanges, ESA is supporting interaction and knowledge-sharing across Europe’s access to space community in ways that complement its funding and technical support roles.
The third session of the Future Access to Space Club will take place alongside the FLPP Autumn Session in October 2026.