How the space environment can support advanced materials innovation...
The BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator invites you to discover space-enabled opportunities for driving new materials innovations by leveraging the microgravity R&D platforms in the Earth’s orbit. BSGN is carried out under a programme of and funded by ESA, the European Space Agency.
What would you do if you could take gravity out of the equation? How would you use an environment where there is no convection, sedimentation or buoyancy? An environment with the potential to develop high-quality, defect free crystals for next-generation semiconductor materials and advanced functional ceramics; more homogenous alloys and foams; more even deposition leading to more homogeneous coatings and thinner thin films; the possibility to study fluid dynamics, diffusion and viscosity, without buoyancy playing a role, critical in understanding formulation chemistry.
Webinar recording is now available
The link to the full presentation slides can be found here. To find out more about the opportunity and Call for Proposals, join our virtual deep-dive workshop on 17 October.
For inquiries related to the accelerator, please get in touch at BSGNmaterials@sa.catapult.org.uk.
The commercially available microgravity platforms, such as those hosted on the International Space Station and others orbiting earth, are offering enterprises a unique R&D toolset to study, manipulate and develop new material solutions to both known and novel engineering challenges. Dozens of companies, including large multinationals, such as Lamborghini, Adidas and Procter & Gamble, are conducting cutting-edge R&D in microgravity to develop superior products and new production methodologies that can overcome barriers faced by the terrestrial production processes which are being pushed to their theoretical limits.
Call for Proposals
At this webinar, the ESA BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator introduced the Call for Proposals, which will invite light-touch proposals from innovators and enterprises. The most attractive proposals will be selected to form a Project Portfolio for the accelerator for further development and maturation. Stay tuned for more news about its opening date!
Who is this for?
- Advanced materials manufacturers, innovators and industrial OEMs
- Cross-sector and multinational end users throughout the supply chain
- Academics and research organisations from the materials community
- Technology and in-orbit manufacturing service providers from the space sector
- Members of the investment community with interest in deep-tech, materials innovations and in-orbit manufacturing and assembly.
What to expect from the webinar recording
- An overview of the space-enabled opportunities for the materials and manufacturing sectors
- Hear about the ESA BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator, its services, priority areas and success criteria for Expressions of Interest
- Hear about existing microgravity facilities as well as service providers that can host and facilitate access to orbital research and manufacturing platforms
- Learn about our upcoming deep-dive workshops.
Upcoming activities
Following this launch event, Innovate UK KTN are hosting a virtual deep-dive workshop on the 17th October to provide a forum for experts from the materials community, space community and service providers to come together to discuss the opportunities developed in Phase One. This will be a great chance for exploring innovative and financial opportunities of conducting R&D in space, develop new collaborations between advanced materials and space environment experts, and receive more guidance about the Call for Proposals.
About the BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator
The BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator has been established to support innovators and enterprises developing new products, technologies, and services at the intersection of advanced materials and microgravity engineering. The accelerator promotes opportunities for engineering novel materials in microgravity, and the contract is carried out under the BSGN programme of and funded by the European Space Agency.
The BSGN Accelerator will be run by a new consortium of six leading European space and materials technology companies and market specialists: Satellite Applications Catapult (project lead), Innovate UK KTN, the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), the Technological Institute of Plastics (AIMPLAS), the DLR Institute of Material Research, and the National Composites Centre (NCC).
The BSGN Accelerator has three phases, with the first phase designed to generate interest and demand, and support projects and businesses with commercial potential that could develop products and services in space. The activity will focus on five advanced materials technology areas:
- Superalloys and hybrid materials
- Nanomaterials
- Advanced ceramics
- Novel polymers and fibres
- Functional coatings and thin film systems.
For inquiries related to the accelerator, please get in touch at BSGNmaterials@sa.catapult.org.uk
Related Events and Recordings
Mon
17
Oct
2022
BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator: deep-dive into microgravity-enabled opportunities for advanced materials
09.30 - 12.30 | Online