Meet the Second Cohort of ESA's Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Accelerator
Following the 2nd Call of the BSGN Advanced Materials and In-orbit Manufacturing Industry Accelerator in June 2025, three groundbreaking projects have been selected for acceleration and deployment in orbit: Starflight Dynamics, ArcSpace and Flawless Photonics.
Selected from a competitive pool of 18 applications across 10 ESA Member States, these projects aim to develop commercial solutions in advanced materials and in-space manufacturing domains by boosting their R&D through the unique properties of the space environment. During the Acceleration phase, The Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN), in collaboration with the Satellite Applications Catapult, the managing partner of the Advanced Materials and In-orbit Manufacturing accelerator will support the consortiums of this second cohort in refining technical and commercial plans, preparing the selected projects for implementation and deployment in orbit.
Who’s in the second cohort?
ArcSpace
Scalable in-orbit Electron Beam joining & cutting process for assembly & manufacturing operations
Lead Entity: ArcSpace (Startup, France)
Key Partners: CNRS – LPGP laboratory (France)
In-Orbit Manufacturing (IOM) is being held back due to the lack of available in-space tools/processes, preventing space mission and infrastructure designers from rapidly designing and testing breakthrough products. ArcSpace has developed a sustainable on-orbit joining and cutting solution based on Electron Beam technology, filling this capability gap for near-term in-orbit servicing applications, microgravity materials processing, and long-term in-space assembly of critical systems and large structures.
This mission will deliver a first-of-its-kind in-orbit demonstration of the company’s core welding technology, showcasing safe and controlled welding in microgravity through an innovative contamination-management approach. By proving this critical capability in space, the mission sets the stage for the commercial rollout of the company’s flagship offering: welding-based in-orbit servicing solutions designed to support sustainability and high-value dual-use applications.
Starflight Dynamics / Levion Materials
Zero-Gravity Growth of Next-Gen Semiconductor Materials
Lead Entity: Starflight Dynamics (Startup, Germany)
Key Partners: JX Advanced Metals Corporation (Japan)
Levion Materials (the newly established specialty division of Starflight Dynamics) aims to produce a new class of semiconductor materials by taking its manufacturing to space.
As disruptive effects like convection, segregation, and sedimentation driven by buoyancy are minimized under microgravity, this new approach leads to the formation of significantly defect-reduced crystals, resulting in ultra-pure materials of a quality fundamentally unachievable on Earth.
This concept builds on well-established growth methods (such as Travelling-Heater-Method and Bridgman technique) and combines precise thermal control with space-ready ampoule technology to create crystals ideal for next-generation electronics, sensing, and quantum applications among others.
Levion is therefore addressing the pressing demand for high-performance materials by paving the way for its space-enabled production.
This mission will demonstrate the crystal growth of advanced semiconductor materials – e.g., cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and indium phosphide (InP) – inside sealed ampoules. A compact furnace module, pre-programmed to execute precise thermal cycles on 4 to 6 samples, will be used to replicate critical industrial crystal-growth processing steps under microgravity conditions.
The mission will validate not only material performance, but also system-level readiness – including hardware operability in orbit, safety of sealed charge handling, and post-mission recovery.
Flawless Photonics
Scaling ZBLAN Fiber Manufacturing from ISS Success to Autonomous Production in LEO
Lead Entity: Flawless Photonics (Startup, Luxembourg)
Building on their success aboard the International Space Station, where they produced nearly 12 kilometres of high-quality ZBLAN (zirconium barium lanthanum aluminium sodium fluoride) optical fibre—an unprecedented length for microgravity manufacturing – Flawless Photonics is now advancing toward fully automated, scalable in-orbit production. By leveraging microgravity to eliminate gravity-driven defects, Flawless Photonics’ next-generation systems will enable consistent, defect-free production of advanced optical materials, unlocking new opportunities in ultra-fast communications, sensing, imaging, and next-generation photonics.
Optical fibres are essential for our connected digital world. They are currently most commonly made of silica glass, which is easy to produce but requires the use of expensive repeaters due to optical losses in the fibre. Fluoride glass optical fibres, known as ZBLAN (zirconium barium lanthanum aluminium sodium fluoride), has significantly lower signal loss than silica fibres but is prone to crystallization defects when produced on Earth due to convection and other gravity-driven phenomena. In microgravity, these gravity-driven imperfections are eliminated, allowing for a purer, defect-free microcrystal formation, resulting in clearer glass. This purity can lead to a significant performance increase, opening new markets for infrared transmission and other high-end uses.
What comes next?
Throughout their acceleration journey, the selected project leads will benefit from dedicated 1-to-1 support by the Satellite Applications Catapult, gaining access to tailored support across all stages – from business maturation to the design of in-orbit demonstrations. This ensures both technical and commercial readiness for their missions.
Key advantages for the selected projects include:
- Expert guidance in navigating the complex space ecosystem, fostering connections with key stakeholders and resources.
- Assistance to refine private funding strategy beyond ESA support, while project leads retain final responsibility.
- Hands-on support in preparing documentation for ESA’s co-funding tools, simplifying the application process.
- Enhanced visibility and promotional support to amplify project exposure across relevant sectors.
This initiative underscores the commitment of the BSGN Industry Accelerator to propel innovation in advanced materials and in-orbit manufacturing, fostering collaboration and accelerating the journey from concept to orbit.
More information
About The Satellite Applications Catapult
The Satellite Applications Catapult is a UK-based innovation and technology centre dedicated to advancing the use of satellite data and services across industries. The Catapult helps businesses, governments, and research organisations harness space technologies to drive growth, sustainability, and digital transformation. Through the Beyond Earth mission, the Catapult is working with businesses and research organisations to develop technologies that enable satellite life extension, debris removal, autonomous assembly, and in-orbit manufacturing. By fostering collaboration and providing access to cutting-edge facilities, the Catapult is helping UK and European companies shape a new era of space infrastructure and capability beyond Earth.
About ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country.
About BSGN Advanced Materials and In-orbit Manufacturing Accelerator
The BSGN Industry Accelerators are part of an ESA initiative designed to drive the growth of new economic markets in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon. These accelerators facilitate collaboration with key industry players, attract new market entrants, and support the development of commercially viable business models based on space research. Operating under a public-private co-funding model, the BSGN Advanced Materials and In-orbit Manufacturing Industry Accelerator is managed by ESA’s Industrial Partner the Satellite Applications Catapult. It focuses on co-funding and supporting commercial projects and innovators developing breakthrough advanced materials and manufacturing solutions using in-orbit R&D and microgravity engineering platforms.
2025 Highlights
2025 was a pivotal year for the commercial space sector, and the Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) played a key role in driving progress. From delivering three commercial research projects aboard the ISS to securing €3.82M in private investment through accelerated ventures, the BSGN continues advancing initiatives that bridge terrestrial industries and space-based opportunities. The article highlights the year's key milestones, collaborations, and measurable outcomes.
The Accelerators
The Business in Space Growth Network initiative supports commercial space R&D through accelerators that connect Earth-based industries with space opportunities. These programs aim to create new markets and ecosystems while advancing human and robotic exploration capabilities.
- • The Life Sciences Industry Accelerator, managed by MEDES, has announced the selected projects of its 2nd cohort: Pricilia and MyrSpaceCardio. In its 1st cohort, it supported 5 projects, with 2 projects launched their in-orbit experiments during 2025 (BioOrbit and Zeprion-2) and 3 projects expected to launch during 2026 (SpaceOrganoids, HORUS, and Spancer).
- • The Advanced Materials & In-Space Manufacturing Industry Accelerator, managed by the Satellite Applications Catapult, has supported the acceleration of CosmicMaker and Hephaestus, both expected to execute in-orbit demonstrations in 2026-2027.
- • The Space Resources Industry Accelerator, managed by ESRIC, is currently supporting 6 projects in the acceleration phase: Maana Electric, Volta Space Technologies, FibreCoat, Orbital Matter, OrbitFab and Space Power.
- • 2 projects from the Agri-food Industry Accelerator’s 1st cohort launched to the ISS: Sophie’s Bionutrients and Astrobiome.
Commercial Services
The Business in Space Growth Network has updated its commercial service pages to provide the latest offerings and capabilities. Visit the updated listings to explore current service listings, discover new solutions for space-related activities, and suggest additional services to help expand the portfolio.
Events
The following section highlights the main events and activities that took place during 2025, showcasing important milestones and community initiatives from throughout the year.
- • Space Resources Week, which took place during May 2025 in Luxemburg, is a yearly event organised by our partner the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and the Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology (LIST). The event brings together space agencies, business leaders, researchers, and early-stage ventures, addressing the science, technology, economic, legal and regulatory aspects of space resources. To read more: Space Resources Week 2026
- • Automated LEO Platforms Industry Day – The workshop, led by ESA's Human & Robotic Exploration directorate (HRE), took place during September 2025 in the Netherlands. The workshop brought together ESA teams, LEO commercial service providers, payload hardware developers, terrestrial industry users, investors and consulting services, to examine how a new class of automated, rapidly recoverable, free-flying platforms can accelerate microgravity research and foster commercial activity. To read more: HRE Industry Workshop - Automated LEO Platforms for R&D and Manufacturing - BSGN
- • Space Resources Forum 2025: Exploring the Ground-Based Pilot Plant – During this event, which took place during November 2025 in ESTEC (the Netherlands), we explored the Ground-Based Pilot Plant (GBPP), a visionary initiative by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC). The GBPP is a testbed for producing oxygen and metals from lunar regolith using Molten Salt Electrolysis. The event provided early insights into the upcoming ITT for the GBPP, alongside the opportunity to connect, contribute, and collaborate.
Follow the Business in Space Growth Network on LinkedIn to hear about the latest news and upcoming events.
Space Resources Challenge
The competition, whose field test was hosted during October 2025 in ESA-DLR LUNA facility in Germany, was the culmination of months of work and experiments. During the final event, 8 teams were challenged to simulate a Moon mission scenario set in the 2040s, during which 8 astronauts live and operate for 30 days at the lunar South Pole, using autonomous systems to extract oxygen from lunar regolith. The teams and their robots had to dig, sort and operate independently, all in a lunar-like testbed. To read more: Second Space Resources Challenge: Highlights and Key Results
Second Space Resources Challenge: Highlights and Key Results
ESA is preparing for a future where human missions on the Moon rely on local resources instead of costly Earth-based supply chains. To achieve this, ESA and ESRIC launched the Space Resources Challenge in 2021 as part of a broader strategy to develop technologies for In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU). These technologies will enable oxygen and metal production from lunar regolith, enabling life support, construction, and refuelling capabilities. By fostering competition and collaboration between industry, research, and academia, the initiative accelerates innovation and opens new commercial opportunities, while being a cornerstone of Europe’s vision for a sustainable lunar economy and its leadership in global space exploration.
About the Space Resources Challenge
Each edition of the Space Resources Challenge addresses a different ISRU segment. The first edition focused on prospecting lunar resources and identifying materials that could support future missions. The second edition focused on excavation and beneficiation: collecting lunar regolith and preparing it for oxygen extraction, a process critical for sustaining human presence and enabling industrial activity on the Moon.
The Space Resources Challenge fosters:
- Innovation: Filling critical gaps along the ISRU value chain.
- Collaboration: Connecting academia, industry, and research organisations.
- Acceleration: Advancing technology readiness for lunar missions.
- Commercial Growth: Kickstarting ventures in the emerging space resources market.
In this year’s edition, 8 teams from 6 countries were selected to participate in the demonstration phase:
- Team AGH Lunar Resources Initiative – AGH University of Krakow, SpaceTeam AGH, AGH Space Systems, CleverHive Space, PIAP Space, CBK PAN
- Team ASTROLITH – Polytechnique Montreal
- Team BREMEN – DLR, DFKI
- Team CRADLE – Amentum, The University of Manchester
- Team FZI DUST – Forschungszentrum Informatik
- Team Imperial Planetary Robotics Lab – IPRL
- Team LuMA – Maana Electric, SpaceR, Aalborg University
- Team TUBular – TU Berlin
To read more about the Space Resources Challenge: https://src.esa.int/
Mission Scenario
In the mission scenario set for the challenge’s second edition, it is the 2040s and operations to support long-term human missions on the Moon have begun. Astronauts stay for up to 30 days at the lunar South Pole, relying partly on resources produced locally. ISRU systems operate autonomously between missions, extracting oxygen from regolith and providing essential materials for breathing, shelter, and refuelling spacecraft.
Teams were asked to design robotic systems capable of digging lunar soil simulant, sorting particles by size, and preparing feedstock for molten salt electrolysis – a method for extracting oxygen. The systems had to work in a realistic lunar-like environment and operate autonomously or via remote control. The goal was to produce enough oxygen to sustain eight astronauts for a month, demonstrating technologies that could one day support a commercially viable lunar economy.
The Winners
Team BREMEN, based in Europe’s “City of Space”, impressed with a solution that blends innovation and scalability. Combining expertise from DLR, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and the University of Bremen, the team developed a modular architecture integrating a mobile rover for excavation with a stationary beneficiation system for size sorting. This approach reduces weight and power requirements while enabling long-term, scalable lunar operations.
At the heart of the system is Coyote III, a hybrid-wheeled rover designed for unstructured terrain and teleoperation. Its standardized interface supports modular payloads, including excavation tools. Inspired by ISRU-driven missions like Chandrayaan-3 and commercial lander-rover systems such as ispace’s M2, Team BREMEN’s concept aligns with the evolving lunar market, paving the way for sustainable resource utilization beyond Earth.
The winning solution was selected based on the team’s excellent performance during the field test, where they ranked highest overall across the different evaluation criteria. The field test score was not the only factor: teams also submitted proposals, in which they again performed very well. By combining the scores from the field test and the proposals, Team BREMEN was selected as the winner of the ESA prize.
ESA will award team BREMEN with a €500,000 development contract for a feasibility study, accelerating their concept toward deployment on future lunar missions.
Innovate beyond Earth - Meet the Second Cohort of ESA's Life Science Accelerator
Following the 2nd Call of the BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator in April 2025, two groundbreaking projects have been selected for acceleration and deployment in orbit: PRICILIA and MyrSpaceCardio.
Selected from a competitive pool of 22 applications across 12 ESA Member States, these projects aim to develop commercial solutions for Earth by boosting their R&D through the unique properties of the space environment. During the Acceleration phase, The Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) ,an ESA's initiative designed to drive the growth of new economic markets in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon, in collaboration with the Life Science Accelerator managing partner, MEDES (Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology), will support the consortiums of this second cohort in refining technical and commercial plans, preparing the selected projects for implementation and deployment in orbit.
Who’s in the second cohort?
Pricilia
Decoding gravity-induced mechanosensing in cartilage for next-generation of osteoarthritis therapies
Lead Entity: Medetia (Startup, France)
Consortium Partners: Institut Imagine (France), Sainbiose – INSERM Lab (France), SpacePharma (France)
Medetia and its partners aim to unravel the role of primary cilia (microscopic, microtubule-based organelles crucial for mechanosensing) in cartilage homeostasis under varying gravity conditions. By investigating how these structures respond to mechanical forces in space, the team seeks to identify novel therapeutic candidates, small molecules, for osteoarthritis. The PRICILIA program targets valuable health advances on Earth by studying biological models exposed to the stress of microgravity in Low Earth Orbit. By understanding the role of gravity in cartilage fatigue, this research could lead to groundbreaking treatments that address the unmet needs of millions suffering from degenerative joint diseases , thus potentially offering valuable health advances on Earth inspired by the challenges of the microgravity environment.
MyrSpaceCardio
A Next-Generation Cardiac Assay Platform Powered by Microgravity
Lead Entity: Myriamed (SME, Germany)
Consortium Partners: KIST Europe (Germany), Exobiosphere (Luxembourg)
MyrSpaceCardio aims to adapt myriamed’s engineered heart muscle screening platforms into a high-throughput system optimized for microgravity. By performing tissue-engineering experiments in space, the project enhances the physiological relevance of lab-grown cardiac tissues and brings them closer to true human biology. Removing gravitational constraints is expected to promote more robust tissue assembly, advanced metabolic maturation, and improved functional performance, which will be assessed through in-flight imaging and post-flight multi-omics analyses. This mission will validate the first scalable, space-enabled cardiac tissue screening platform, generating models that more faithfully reflect human cardiac responses and enabling advanced drug development, in-orbit screening, and personalized space medicine.
What comes next?
Throughout their acceleration journey, the selected project leads will benefit from a dedicated 1-to-1 relationship with MEDES, gaining access to tailored support across all stages - from business maturation to the design of spaceflight experiments. This ensures both technical and commercial readiness for their missions.
Key advantages for the selected projects include:
- • Expert guidance in navigating the complex space ecosystem, fostering connections with key stakeholders and resources.
- • Assistance to refine private funding strategy beyond ESA support, while project leads retain final responsibility.
- • Hands-on support in preparing documentation for ESA’s co-funding tools, simplifying the application process.
- • Enhanced visibility and promotional support to amplify project exposure within the space and life sciences industries.
This initiative underscores the commitment of the BSGN Industry Accelerator to propel innovation in life sciences, fostering collaboration and accelerating the journey from concept to orbit.
More information
About MEDES
MEDES is the French Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology. It was created in 1989 by the French Space Agency, CNES and Toulouse University Hospitals. Its activities are focused on support for space missions, clinical research (with a unique research infrastructure: the space clinic) and innovations between space and health. MEDES has more than 35 years of experience for crew health maintenance for human spaceflights, operational support for research in life sciences in space, in addition to a strong expertise in clinical research and on innovative projects for health applications.
About ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
About BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator
The BSGN Industry Accelerators are part of an ESA initiative designed to drive the growth of new economic markets in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon. These accelerators facilitate collaboration with key industry players, attract new market entrants, and support the development of commercially viable business models based on space research. Operating under a public-private co-funding model, the BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator is managed by ESA’s Industrial Partner MEDES. It focuses on leveraging microgravity for cutting-edge research in biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, helping companies find the right partners and funding tools to turn their innovations into reality.
HRE Industry Workshop - Automated LEO Platforms for R&D and Manufacturing
On September 8th 2025, ESA hosted an industry workshop on automated LEO platforms (ALP) for R&D and manufacturing in space. The workshop was held in Hortus Botanicus, Leiden (Netherlands). The workshop brought together ESA teams, LEO commercial service providers, payload hardware developers, terrestrial industry users, investors and consulting services, to examine how a new class of automated, rapidly recoverable, free-flying platforms can accelerate microgravity research and foster commercial activity.
Automated platforms promise higher cadence, tailored environments and lower operational overhead for specific use cases in market segments such as life sciences, advanced materials, in-space manufacturing, and agri-food.
Purpose and Scope
The workshop was focused on the role of automated LEO platforms (ALP) in Europe’s emerging space ecosystem. The sessions held during the workshop were impact-driven, assessing how ALP can contribute to scientific, technological and commercial objectives. Its objective was to bring together ESA teams, industry, investors and end users in a structured dialogue.
From a technical perspective, the workshop aimed to identify both commercial opportunities and challenges, while also examining the end-to-end processes required for such platforms, from experiment design and payload integration, through launch and operations, to data and sample return.
From a strategic perspective, the workshop aimed to clarify the importance of automated platforms within ESA’s long-term roadmap, including the post-ISS era and future exploration goals, while also addressing interoperability requirements and standardization needs to ensure smoother integration of payloads and services across different providers.
Audience Overview
- Platform Service Providers: Firms that design, build and operate automated LEO platforms/free-flyers (and related return capsules or ISS-hosted platforms). They provide the vehicle and mission services: payload hosting, power/thermal/data, safety qualification, integration, launch/operations/re-entry, and sample/data return.
- Payload Service Providers: Firms that develop experiment facilities and payloads (e.g., bioreactors, crystallization modules and broader laboratories) and often deliver experiment-as-a-service: study design, qualification, biosafety, integration with platforms, on-orbit ops support, and post-flight analysis—bridging end users to flight.
- Institutional: Space agencies and public entities, representing different ESA directorates, national agencies, and European Commission, that set strategy, fund and de-risk capabilities, steward standards/safety, enable access to orbit and procure or co-fund services to advance science, policy and European competitiveness.
- Investor/Consulting Services: Venture capital investors and advisory/consulting firms that provide capital, due diligence, market and technical assessments, strategy, and risk advisory. They evaluate business models, regulatory pathways, and scale-up economics to inform funding and partnerships.
- BSGN Industry Accelerators: ESA’s Business in Space Growth Network Industry Accelerators’ Managing Partners that scout for high-commercial potential projects, broker demand, mentor companies, provide support and matchmake between end users, payload developers, and platforms – aiming to convert terrestrial R&D needs into flight campaigns. The BSGN Accelerators involved were MEDES (Life Science) and the Satellite Application Catapult (Advanced Materials and In-Space Manufacturing).
- End Users: Companies from terrestrial markets involved or attracted to make use of microgravity to advance their commercial R&D activities and outcomes (pharma/biotech, advanced materials, semiconductors, chemicals, research institutions). They define use cases and requirements, seek validated data/samples/processes, purchasing services from payload and platform providers.
Sessions Summaries
First Session – ESA Programmatic Alignment
This session mapped the intersections between automated platforms and ESA priorities, spanning science utilization, Post-ISS strategy. The session was led by ESA with contributions from different ESA Directorates and programmes: General Support Technology Programme (GSTP), ESA Marketplace for commercial growing and scaling, In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM), In-Space Proof of Concept (InSPoC), and Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS).
The focus was on which areas and how ESA can de-risk critical capabilities, facilitate standards definition, and catalyse early demand through co-funding and acting as anchor customer.
The session hosted several ESA experts discussing synergies and complementarities with a range of ESA initiatives, highlighting how automated LEO platforms can mutually benefit from them and for them, being functional in achieving different strategic objectives.
The hosted speakers were Bernhard Hufenbach (Commercialisation & Inn. Team Lead at ESA), Eric Istasse (Post-ISS strategy at ESA), Angelique Van Ombergen (Chief Exploration Scientist at ESA), Kenza Benamar (GSTP Program at ESA), Kais Barmawi (ESA Marketplace), Calum Turner (In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing at ESA), Thomas Nussmann (FLPP and In-SPoC at ESA). The session was followed by a Q&A session.
Second Session – Interoperability
The session was directed by Antonella Sgambati, LEO Payload Team Leader at ESA, and brought together an audience of platform developers, facilities developers and potential users. The format was intentionally participatory, fostering dialogue and mutual exchanges. A key insight emerged: standardization lowers friction and broadens access across vehicles; over-standardization can constrain innovation and performance. The session sought pragmatic common denominators (minimum viable standards) while leaving room for mission-specific differentiation.
The final goal was to converge on shared understanding of current strengths and challenges, identify practical pathways to overcome current European bottlenecks and pave the way towards more harmonized standards and procedures for payload-platform interoperability.
The session was split into sections, each with a main thematic driver:
- Station 1: Understand the main drivers shaping interface design (mechanical, data, power, thermal, etc.).
- Station 2: Explore where technical alignment could unlock efficiency and access.
- Station 3: Examine process-level barriers to interoperability (plug-and-play)
Third Session – Private Sector Utilization Interest
Framed around market pull, this session combined a panel with thematic working groups on Pharma and Advanced Materials. Each group worked through use cases, customer requirements, and the role of free-flyers, while discussing the market value and future perspectives.
The session started with a panel discussion participated by Francesco Liucci (Business Development Engineer, responsible for the BSGN initiative, ESA), Robin Sie-Verbruggen (COO at Resonance Holdings), Andrei Sapera (Space Business Developer at Space Application Services, ICE Cubes Division), Mira Baraket (VP of Technology at Atlant 3D), Daniel Kogan (R&D Scientist at SpacePharma), Hamid Soorghali (Lead Strategy Consultant at the Satellite Applications Catapult), Joel Friedman (moderator, Head of Innovation Services at the Satellite Applications Catapult).
After the panel discussion, the audience broke down into working groups, focusing on Life Sciences and Advanced Materials, stimulating open discussions among participants.
Forth Session – End-to-End Concept of Operations (Con.Ops.)
Building from real operational constraints, this session traced the full-service chain: interfaces to the International Space Station (ISS) where relevant, ESA’s facilitator role, payload integration and handling, and enabling service elements such as science selection coordination, payload development, platform integration, ground segment personnel training, and more.
The session was moderated by Julia Weis (LEO & Suborbital Utilisation Team Leader at ESA) and Marco Vukich (ISS Payload Integration Manager at ESA). The discussion built on the legacy of ISS end-to-end operational flows and assessed how similar or adapted frameworks could apply to automated LEO platforms. The audience included platform developers, payload providers, and ESA staff, with the goal of clarifying expectations, identifying gaps, and exploring ESA’s potential roles as customer, partner, or enabler in the future commercial ecosystem.
The session progressed from reviewing the ISS operational baseline to outlining what an end-to-end service model could look like for automated platforms. Discussions also integrated concrete examples, notably biology use cases, to illustrate specific logistical and technical requirements.
Innovate in Microgravity - ESA's Parabolic Flights for Commercial Use
Parabolic Flights Advantages for Commercial Research
Fast and Flexible Access to Microgravity - Unlike orbital missions, parabolic flights offer rapid access to microgravity environments without the long lead times or high costs associated with space launches.
They are a cost-effective entry point to space as they are significantly more affordable than sending payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) or using free-flyer platforms.
While until recently, ESA’s parabolic flight campaigns were primarily reserved for scientific research, ESA decided to enable access to parabolic flights for broader groups, including commercial actors. This marks a strategic expansion of access, enabling startups, SMEs, and industry partners to leverage microgravity for innovation, testing, and visibility.
Commercial entities are expected to cover the cost of the portion of the facility resources which they utilise. These costs may vary depending upon the dimensions, mass, power consumption, and number of operators required by the experiment. As a first approximation, one campaign for an average experiment (appox. 200kg, 200W, 2.5mx2,5m total footprint, including 3 human operators) would use facility resources equivalent to 150,000 EUR. Dedicated cost calculations will be performed on a case-by-case basis as part of the technical feasibility assessment phase of eligible proposals.
Eligible applicants are invited to submit their applications via the OSIP system: Open Space Innovation Platform - OSIP - Channel: Parabolic Flights - Technology and Commercial Applications
Parabolic Flights are Ideal for:
- Early-stage testing of prototypes and experimental setups.
- Iterative development, allowing companies to refine their technologies before committing to more expensive orbital missions.
- Startups and SMEs who wish to enter the space research domain.
- Pharmaceutical and biotech firms who wish to explore microgravity’s impact on drug development and tissue growth.
- Human factors research, such as testing wearable devices, medical equipment, training astronauts, and more.
Microgravity for All: Fostering an Inclusive Space Ecosystem
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) 2040 strategy states that ESA’s mission is “to lead and orchestrate European space excellence to build a more prosperous, resilient, independent, and inspiring life for all of Europe.” One of the ways to achieve this goal is to lower the barrier to enter the space sector and to make it achievable for smaller companies by offering affordable, short-duration microgravity exposure.
Parabolic flights are not just a scientific tool; they are a strategic enabler for commercial innovation. This initiative reflects ESA’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive space ecosystem - where academic excellence and commercial innovation converge to push the boundaries of exploration.
More about Parabolic Flights
Parabolic flights create short episodes of zero gravity by flying aircraft in a series of steep climbs and dives. Each parabola provides around 20 seconds of weightlessness, repeated 93 times across three flights on each campaign. Slightly longer periods of partial gravity are also possible, such as Lunar or Martian gravity levels.
Parabolic flights offer a unique opportunity for companies to test technologies and processes in microgravity without the cost and complexity of space missions. This enables faster iteration and validation of concepts - especially valuable for life sciences, materials development, agriculture, and more.
To learn more about parabolic flights: ESA - Parabolic flights
Flights are operated by Novespace: Novespace and Avico - Air Zero G
Life Science Accelerator Update: Zeprion-2 Has Launched to the ISS with SpacePharma
The Zeprion-2 mission, launched on 24 August 2025 aboard SpaceX33, marks a significant milestone in European space-based research and commercialization. Co-funded via the ESA BSGN Industry Accelerator for Life Sciences, managed by MEDES, and led by a commercial consortium including SpacePharma-EU, University of Trento, University of Milano Bicocca, University of Santiago de Compostela, Italian National Research Council, IBBA CNR National Research Council and Telethon Foundation, Zeprion-2 project exemplifies how space can serve as a frontier for transformative innovation in structural biology and drug discovery.
Zeprion-2 is the second iteration of a pioneering research initiative focused on protein crystallization in microgravity. The project utilises a remotely operated lab-on-a-chip microfluidic device developed by SpacePharma-EU aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to initiate and monitor crystal growth. This unique environment allows scientists to produce high-quality protein crystals that are often unattainable on Earth, unlocking new possibilities for pharmaceutical development. The project builds on the legacy of Zeprion-1, which was catalysed by Alice Anane, founder of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Foundation. Her vision to explore space-based crystallization for prion protein research laid the groundwork for this international collaboration.
Zeprion-2 is more than a scientific experiment. It is a proof of concept for how space-based platforms can revolutionise commercially driven R&D. Protein crystallography is a cornerstone of drug design, and the ability to generate superior crystals in space can dramatically improve the resolution of structural data, especially for complex or unstable proteins.
For pharmaceutical companies, this means faster, more efficient drug pipelines. For biotech innovators, it opens new avenues for research. And for European industry, it demonstrates the viability of commercial space-based experimentation.
BSGN’s support for Zeprion-2 has been comprehensive and sustained. Over the past 12 months, the BSGN Industry Accelerator managed by MEDES, provided support to the Zeprion team and co-funded the development which allowed its microfluidic crystallization system to life. From ideation to launch, BSGN is a partner in every step of the journey, helping projects like Zeprion to navigate complexities of space-based R&D and unlock new commercial opportunities through:
- Early-stage scoping and feasibility assessments
- Access to ESA’s technical expertise and infrastructure
- Facilitation of international partnerships
- Support with regulatory and operational planning
- Commercial matchmaking with LEO Commercial Service Providers (CSPs) and visibility across Europe
To discover how BSGN empowers innovation across diverse industries, explore the industry-focused accelerators.
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About ESA and BSGN
The Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) is a European Space Agency (ESA) initiative designed to foster European commercialisation in space. By connecting industry, academia and public institutions, BSGN supports projects that leverage space environments for innovation across sectors - from health and biotech to materials science and beyond. BSGN’s mission is to enable and accelerate commercial access to space, providing the tools, funding, and strategic guidance needed to turn visionary ideas into operational realities.
About MEDES
The BSGN Life Sciences Industry Accelerator aims to engage new players from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, supporting projects that tackle terrestrial challenges through the unique advantages of the space environment combined with European commercial space-based platforms in Low Earth Orbit. It fosters collaboration with the commercial space ecosystem, encourages the development of high-potential commercial activities, and seeks to attract new sources of funding beyond ESA.
Call for Proposals: Management of the ESA BSGN Agri-Food Industry Accelerator (Closed)
The European Space Agency (ESA) invites proposals from qualified entities to lead the Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) Agri-Food Industry Accelerator. This initiative leverages the unique microgravity environment to foster commercial innovation in the agriculture and food markets.
In light of fast-development of commercially-driven R&D projects in microgravity environment, ESA is seeking to identify and appoint an external entity as the managing partner which will be responsible for operating the BSGN Agri-Food Industry Accelerator. The selected entity (or consortium) will support commercial R&D projects in accessing space microgravity environment to develop, test and commercialise their solutions.
The agriculture and food sectors can explore microgravity as a unique R&D environment to accelerate innovation in several high-impact areas. These include plant resilience and seed germination under stress conditions, microbial fermentation and the production of nutrient-rich or functional ingredients, cellular agriculture for cultivated meat and dairy analogues, and food packaging and preservation technologies.
The BSGN Accelerators are strategically relevant for the advancement of ESA's Human and Robotic Exploration strategy (Explore2040) as they support demand generation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) market and thereby facilitate the transition from the ISS to the commercially-driven post-ISS era.
Lead the Future of Agri-Food Innovation with ESA's BSGN Industry Accelerator
By leading the full lifecycle of the BSGN Industry Accelerator for Agri-Food, the selected entity will:
- Deliver Market Assessment on the underlying agri-food market segments which shall serve as a precondition for the subsequent preparation and publication of the Call for Projects
- Scouting for promising commercial projects in the targeted market segments
- Launch competitive Calls on the ESA platform (OSIP) to identify and support relevant projects
- Evaluate, together with ESA experts, and select the best ones
- Facilitate access to LEO, to the International Space Station (ISS), and on other microgravity LEO platforms and commercial services (e.g. free-flyers) via ESA and commercial service providers
- Provide technical, business and investment readiness support to the projects that will be selected in order to fulfil the Decision Gate requirements in order to allow the in-orbit experiments and demonstration
- Monitor the implementation of the projects’ experiments/demonstration in LEO for the ones which successfully unlock ESA approval and co-funding)
- Build and maintain a stakeholder community relevant for the targeted market segments
- Take part in events and outreach activities in coordination with ESA
- Ensure proper monitoring, documentation and reporting of outcomes
ESA plans to allocate €1.1M of funding for the BSGN Industry Accelerator for Agri-food. Part of it will be allocated directly to the managing partner to cover the costs and effort needed to execute all the Accelerator’s activities. The other part will be available for the projects selected in the Accelerator, to support them in preparing and executing their experiments and demonstrations under microgravity conditions.
Do you believe you have what it takes to lead the BSGN Agri-Food Industry Accelerator? Learn more about this unique opportunity and apply on the OSIP platform.
Timelines & Submission
Call is open to applications between 1 July and 12 September – You can apply via the OSIP platform.
Evaluation by ESA and shortlisted candidates are expected to be notified by October 2025.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit their full proposal via an ESA Restricted Fixed Call for Proposals (RCP) published on ESA-star and will be requested to submit a detailed full proposal via ESA’s ESA-star system.
The ESA-star RCP package is expected to be released by the end of October 2025 and close by the end of November 2025.
It is expected to have the selected entity to be announced by end of the year 2025.
For more information, reach out by e-mail: bsgn@esa.int
The 2nd Call of the BSGN Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Accelerator (Closed)
The ESA BSGN Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Industry Accelerator, led by Satellite Applications Catapult, has opened a new call for projects. This call seeks to attract commercially driven R&D projects from space and non-space industries, with the aim of using a microgravity environment to explore, foster and contribute to new and advanced materials solutions and in-space manufacturing capabilities across Europe . Interested applicants can apply until 31st August 2025 on the OSIP platform.
For many years, the space sector has accelerated innovation in material science, enabling the delivery of broad economic and societal value. Today, the rise of a commercial in-orbit economy, including autonomous research platforms, next-generation space stations, and dedicated microgravity labs, is unlocking entirely new frontiers for materials R&D.
Alongside ESA’s BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator, selected projects will gain access to technical support, funding opportunities, and a growing ecosystem of commercial and institutional partner companies to develop new discoveries in low Earth orbit and beyond. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the future of commercial space innovation.
Following the success of its first round, the second call for projects is now open, with a larger budget and a sharper strategic focus!
The Phase 2 Call builds upon the success, learnings and momentum of Phase 1, while reflecting an evolved strategy and vision for the accelerator. This time, there is a major emphasis on the R&D and optimisation of new and advanced materials which can benefit from the use of microgravity. The accelerator refined the evaluation criteria prioritising industrial impact, market potential and cross-sector collaboration, aligning with ESA’s evolving priorities under the Explore 2040 strategy.
The accelerator serves as a foundational mechanism to bridge the commercialisation gap between promising research, technical feasibility and in-orbit deployment. We are looking for projects with the following characteristics:
• Use of microgravity as an enabler, not just a testing opportunity
• Differentiated technology with clear market relevance
• Genuine commercial traction or validated interest
• Strong delivery capability and technical maturity
• A clear post-demo scale-up strategy
This call has an emphasis on deploying innovations to solve real-world challenges and bridge the gap between proof-of-concept and market-ready solutions.
“The LEO ecosystem is developing fast and it is giving rise to new opportunities to explore the use of microgravity conditions to advance knowledge and mature R&D activities towards the goal of offering new solutions to terrestrial and space markets. The ESA BSGN Accelerator’s model provides clear incentives – co-funding, technical and commercial support – to take action and invest in this exciting domain, while new commercial solutions appearing in the market are collectively providing signs that the post-ISS era can open the door to new markets.”
- Francesco Liucci, Innovation Management Officer responsible for the ESA BSGN Industry Accelerators initiative
“The demand for next-generation materials is accelerating across sectors — from semiconductors to photonics. Microgravity offers a way to engineer materials with purities, structures and properties not achievable on Earth. This Accelerator is designed to turn that potential into commercially viable, real-world applications.”
- Hamid Soorghali, Lead Strategy Consultant at the Satellite Applications Catapult
ESA BSGN Industry Accelerator has already secured a budget of €800,000 to be allocated to the most impactful advanced materials and in-orbit manufacturing projects. Selected projects will receive co-funding to execute in-orbit experiment or demonstration, and tailored support to de-risk innovation, accelerate technology development and advance towards commercial deployment and investor readiness.
Timelines
Projects submission is open until 31st August 2025.
The evaluation phase will take place during September - October 2025.
By early November 2025 the projects portfolio will be selected.
Contact & Submission
Projects submission via the OSIP platform.
Register to the informative “Ask Me Anything” webinar, which will take place on June 10th 2025, at 14:00-17:00 CEST. Register here.
For questions and more information: bsgnmaterials@sa.catapult.org.uk
About ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
Learn more about ESA at https://www.esa.int
About BSGN
The BSGN is a European Space Agency initiative designed drive the growth of new economic markets in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon. It focuses on supporting the development of new commercial markets and innovations through microgravity-enabled applications, fostering collaboration between space and non-space industries, and encouraging high-potential commercial activities. The mission of the BSGN accelerators is to lower barriers for non-space sectors to access in-space R&D, stimulate private investment and co-fund microgravity-enabled innovations and related in-orbit supply chains and infrastructure.
In 2022, the BSGN established the Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Accelerator, led by Satellite Applications Catapult, to drive demand-led innovation, expand commercial use of microgravity platforms, and foster new industrial capabilities in space-enabled sectors across Europe. The accelerator collaborates with a wide range of innovators, including start-ups, SMEs, and large corporates, to leverage space-based R&D for advanced product and technological innovation. It supports projects rooted in terrestrial industrial innovations, offering access to in-space R&D platforms and commercial services through guided support and strategic ecosystem engagement.
Learn more about the BSGN network here.
About the Satellite Applications Catapult
The Satellite Applications Catapult is at the heart of the satellite services revolution, driving adoption of space technology to shape and sustain the world of tomorrow. We’re driven by how our actions help the organisations we work with, both large and small, bring new services to market. By connecting industry and academia we get new research off the ground and into the market more quickly.
Learn more about Catapult at http://www.sa.catapult.org.uk
For questions, reach out to bsgnmaterials@sa.catapult.org.uk
BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator Enters Phase 2
The BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator has officially entered Phase 2, marking a major step forward in life sciences innovation in microgravity. Building on the successes of Phase 1, this next stage aims to accelerate commercial life sciences projects, fostering new opportunities for biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals in space.
Phase 1: Laying the Foundation for Growth
Phase 1, along with the Bridging Phase, focused on identifying and supporting market-driven biotechnological and pharmaceutical projects. By working with space commercial service providers, these early efforts created a foundation for the next stage. Now, in Phase 2, the focus shifts to establishing a structured, repeatable process for selecting and accelerating projects, ensuring long-term impact and a seamless transition to Phase 3.
Phase 2: Driving Innovation and Expanding Opportunities
Launched in early 2025, Phase 2 introduces a streamlined, turnkey approach to advance the most promising commercial projects in microgravity research. This phase expands beyond biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, now including cosmetics and nutraceuticals, opening the door to new industries that can benefit from space-based R&D.
To ensure the sustainability of the Accelerator, securing non-ESA funding remains a key priority. Several options first explored in the bridging phase will be further developed, including:
- Engaging large corporations to co-fund innovation.
- Launching innovation challenges to attract groundbreaking ideas.
- Encouraging private investment to drive long-term development.
- Establishing a clear regulatory framework for commercial microgravity research.
- Upcoming Call for Projects: Join the Future of Space Research
As part of Phase 2, the BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator will soon announce an open call for projects, inviting life sciences innovators to participate. This announcement is expected at the Health from Space event in Cannes, France, on 2-3 April 2025. Further details will be published soon.
A Transformational Step for Life Sciences in Space
With Phase 2 now in motion, the BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator is poised to become a driving force for life sciences research in Low Earth Orbit. This phase represents an exciting opportunity for industry leaders, researchers, and businesses to harness microgravity for scientific breakthroughs with real-world applications.
For further details: Open Space Innovation Platform - OSIP - Campaign: BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator - 2nd Call for projects !
About BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator
The BSGN Industry Accelerators are part of an ESA initiative designed to drive the growth of new economic markets in Low Earth Orbit and on the Moon. These accelerators facilitate collaboration with key industry players, attract new market entrants, and support the development of commercially viable business models based on space research.
Operating under a public-private co-funding model, the BSGN Life Science Industry Accelerator is managed by ESA’s Industrial Partners. It focuses on leveraging microgravity for cutting-edge research in biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals, helping companies find the right partners and funding tools to turn their innovations into reality.