CNES Announces Winners of Launchers R&D Challenge

PARIS (CNES PR) — On Thursday, October 14, 2021, there was held the Pitch Day of the Launchers R&D Challenge proposed by the CNES Launchers Department on the theme “technological breakthroughs and advanced concepts of launch systems”. 

Start-ups, SMEs, associations, laboratories and large industrial groups presented their innovation proposals to an audience bringing together experts from the space fabric, partners, supervisors, manufacturers.

In total, 550,000 euros in CNES contracts were won by the winners, each with 50,000 or 100,000 euros, to advance their solution. The winners are:

• Absolut System SAS
• Air Liquide Advanced Technologies
• BLACKLEAF
• Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA)
• Compagnie Lyonnaise d’Études et de Services en Électronique (CLESSE)
• Hybrid Propulsion for Space
• Institut de Recherche sur la Magnetic confinement fusion (IRFM)
• Pangea Aerospace SL
• Laboratory of Processes and Engineering in Mechanics and Materials (PIMM)

The objective of this challenge was to imagine the concepts of launchers by 2040 and disruptive technologies in the long term, to boost the commitment of innovation activities and to develop the space economy. This Launcher R&D Challenges closes the 2021 Launcher R&D Challenges intended to facilitate access to funding in the field of launch systems and to support the space ecosystem.

On this occasion, Jean-Marc Astorg, Director of Launchers at CNES, declared: “I am delighted with the success of this third Pitch Day which enabled the rapid signing of 9 contracts for original ideas applicable to future launchers, including 4 players. who had never worked with CNES. This approach allows CNES to support New Space players and enrich the range of our R&T activities. “