Future high frequency interferometric antennas (e.g. at Ka band) using large baselines require verification and testing with a very high accuracy, in particular in phase. While such interferometric testing and ground calibration techniques have been successfully performed in the past (i.e.

Supersonic Retro Propulsion (SRP) is a technique to augment the deceleration capabilities of launchers boosters returning from space. SRP involves upstream-pointing thrusters that supplement (and, potentially, increase) the body?s aerodynamic drag to ensure a sufficient velocity reduction.

A clustered rocket engine is made up of smaller, easier to manufacture thrusters that can be controlled individually instead of a single, more expensive combustion chamber: thrust vector control (TVC) can be achieved via differential throttling, reducing the need for heavy gimbals and actuators.The proposed activity targets the development of TVC methodologies that are able to effectively cope with independent throttling capability as well as handle failures in one of the cluster?s engines.

North-South station keeping, orbit raising, deep space missions and formation flying of two or more spacecrafts are domain of electric propulsion (EP). Development of neutralizing element - a necessary thruster system compaonent- with high life time, low power consumption and high reliability is the same challenge like the thruster development itself.Having a neutralizing element is mandatory. During ion thruster operation, poisitve ions are extracted from plasma on different principles dependant on the thruster type.