ESA and Satellite Applications Catapult Launch Second Phase of In-Orbit Manufacturing Accelerator
Marketing
Harwell, United Kingdom – 22 May 2025
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult have launched Phase 2 of their Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Accelerator — a strategic initiative that co-funds and supports the development and commercialisation of next-generation materials and engineering solutions through direct access to space-based microgravity R&D platforms and commercial services.
Delivered under ESA’s Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN), the programme is designed to harness the industrial potential of microgravity by providing structured support to companies and R&D teams working on commercially oriented innovations. As global momentum builds around in-space manufacturing, the BSGN Accelerator plays a pivotal role in shaping Europe’s innovation pipeline. It forms part of ESA’s broader strategy to catalyse private sector growth and capabilities across the emerging LEO economy and its fast-evolving innovation ecosystem.
Phase 2 Call for Proposal is Now Open
Phase 2 builds on the success of the inaugural cohort, issuing a renewed Call for Projects on the ESA OSIP Platform, inviting applications from early-stage ventures, industrial R&D teams, and cross-sector consortia developing microgravity-enabled advanced materials and associated enabling technologies for space-based research and commercial solutions.
Projects will be evaluated based on technical maturity, commercial potential, and alignment with European strategic priorities under the Terrae Novae vision. With 4 diverse yet interrelating thematic areas, the programme offers structured support across three core pillars:
- Up to €800,000 in ESA co-funding, supported by expert technical and business guidance, including investment-readiness support
- Access to microgravity platforms for development and demonstration activities
- Strategic and enable partnerships with both space and non-space organisations
“Our goal is to stimulate a demand-led market for microgravity-enabled innovation and scale the European innovation pipeline and capabilities in this domain,” said Bernhard Hufenbach, ESA’s Lead for Commercialisation and Innovation within the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration. “The rise of commercial platforms and new LEO commercial service providers is making commercial microgravity innovations increasingly viable for both innovators and industrial corporations.”
Applicants can access detailed guidance documents, proposal templates, and submission timelines on the OSIP Platform and the Accelerator Website. To support proposal development, a series of live webinars will be held throughout the application window — including an initial session on 10 June 2025. Interested participants are encouraged to register here in advance to receive invitations and updates.
Building on the Foundations of Phase 1
The Accelerator was established in 2023 as a strategic response to growing interest in low Earth orbit as a platform for scientific and industrial breakthroughs. It focuses on lowering barriers for terrestrial industries to innovate by accessing microgravity R&D and engineering platforms through a combination of technical enablement and targeted ecosystem partnerships.
“We’re in an era where materials innovation is defining both the parameters and the pace of the next generation of technologies and AI architectures,” said Hamid Soorghali, Lead Strategy Consultant at the Satellite Applications Catapult and Programme Lead for the Accelerator. “Microgravity gives engineers the opportunity to create novel materials with precise properties that simply aren’t possible on Earth. We look forward to onboarding the next cohort of innovators working on breakthroughs that can truly leverage these unique conditions for product innovations.”
The Accelerator helps bridge the gap between scientific discovery and commercial application, while reinforcing Europe’s innovation capacity across ISAM domains.
Success Stories from Phase 1: Among the successes from Phase 1:
- Photocentric developed a proof of concept for CosmicMaker, an autonomous in-space manufacturing platform, combining 3D printing with microgravity-specific capabilities.
- DCUBED advanced the technology readiness and flight integration of its next generation solar array products, incorporating in-space manufacturing to enable kilowatt-scale deployable solar arrays for LEO transfer vehicles and next-gen small satellites.
Both projects benefited from targeted funding to develop their technologies, as well as technical and business expertise to de-risk their development both technically and commercially. This included tailored investment-readiness support, followed by additional funding to accelerate progress toward flight and in-orbit demonstration.
As the commercial space economy continues to evolve, the Accelerator forms part of ESA’s broader effort to create the enabling conditions for sustainable industrial activity in orbit and to position European industry to lead in the development of high-value microgravity-enabled innovations across both terrestrial and space domains.
