When setting up a lunar station, technologies for the use of locally available materials are crucial. Such technologies drastically reduce the need for transportation from Earth. This project idea aims to provide proof of a key technology, namely Mobile – Selective Laser Melting (M-SLM) for building large structures on the Moon. A mobile high power laser beam is directed on lunar regolith leading to its melting and after cooling to solid structures. In an independent study, we designed the MOONRISE payload up to an engineering model (EM).

The activity investigated a novel hybrid magnetic shielding system that uses both passive and active cancelation. The design and simulations used, along with the characterisation and measurements taken on the optimised system, are summarised in the executive summary report, and described in more detail in the Final Report. This activity was divided in two main work packages: study of optimisation and magnetic shield prototype.

Background and justification:

A system is researched and developed to store water in its liquid state at temperatures below the freezing point using a passive unfreezing method. This is achieved by mixing it with phytantriol, a commercially available non-toxic, non-volatile, non-corrosive, non-inflammable lipid. Both, the scale up of the enrichment process from laboratory scales, and the separation of water from phytantriol, are demonstrated experimentally.

Security is becoming increasingly important in all of ESA's missions, rather than just in specific missions (Galileo, Copernicus) as was the case in the past. Therefore, the European space industry need to have a well-defined and standardized approach to assess the security processes of its suppliers, especially in terms of software development, where many security vulnerabilities can be introduced.

The aim of this activity is to:

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A digital twin merges a data model with AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology and the existing expertise. It hence allows for an unsurpassed level of monitoring via real-time and continuous assessment and evaluation, precise diagnostics, maintenance prediction, downtime prevention and maximised equipment effectiveness. The Digital Twin concept is getting more and more traction, and is envisaged notably for space missions or for spacecraft.