The pyrotechnics initiators powder ,MIRA is under REACH concern. As of the 21/09/2017, the Ammonium Dichromate which is contained inside MIRA powder, will not be authorised anymore. Thus, Roxel, the manufacturer of MIRA, will not supply anymore the powder. The MIRA is used on-board Ariane5 (igniters, detonators, squibs) and on-board satellite pyro valves. In addition to the REACH issue, it shall be noticed that the lifetime of the MIRA is 12 years maximum. It is therefore mandatory to identify an alternative to replace the MIRA to solve both the REACH and the life time issue.

This development has been performed as a result of the need for qualification of an helix antenna dedicated
using metallic 3D printing

There is increased attention being given to safeguarding Earth's orbital environment, as reflected by the number of relevant regulations that are being set forward by national governments and international organisations. Among others, ESA has published a Space Debris Mitigation Policy for Agency Projects (ESA/ADMIN/IPOL(2014)2), supported by the corresponding ESA Space Debris Mitigation Compliance Verification Guidelines (ESSB-HB-U-002).

Over 120 spacecraft presently use electric thruster systems. They are now being used to provide most of the post-LEO propulsion demands on geosynchronous missions. The availability of practical, high-specific-impulse electric thrusters with long life, and the development of electrical power-systems required to sustain them, has resulted in extremely rapid growth in the applications of this technology. ESA has engaged in programmes (e.g.

The mushroom-forming fungi Pleurotus ostreatus (PO), Trametes versicolor (TV) and Schizophyllum commune (SC) are known to effectively colonise organic material. These fungi were grown on the aquatic fern Azolla filiculoides (AF), the fastest growing plant on Earth, and that can fix its own nitrogen. SC showed the best growth on AF. Therefore, growth of this fungus was determined under microgravity conditions and high radiation dosage (up to 200 Gy) and related to melanin production.

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For current and future ESA projects there is a strong need to use new materials to increase launchers and spacecraft performance. For most of the new materials properties and performance data under hydrogen at high pressure and/or low temperatures are missing. The very limited available data do not cover the real operational conditions. To get access to the missing data the capabilities of the existing material characterization laboratory at ET were extended.