The development of new technologies is essential to meet the challenges of a globally growing and increasingly interconnected society. Space and its groundbreaking developments have always been on the forefront of advancing our lives on Earth and in space. One major reason why space related technology, products and services make life better on Earth is technology transfer. At the same time, space profits from new technologies originating from non-space sectors.
While investigating how new technologies operate in space, unexpected discoveries are possible – and that makes it even more exciting. But that’s not all: New industrial applications can emerge from the development and adaptation of space technologies.
Space Powers New Technologies and Vice Versa
Within the European space ecosystem, the New Space Economy is the driver for contemporary technologies and new materials. This technology driver is used to tackle global challenges. For space, new technologies and their countless applications represent a sparring partner to improve Europe’s competitiveness and the sustainability of our society.
Spin-in as well as spin-off ideas – meaning technology transfer from a non-space sector into space and vice versa – profit from the best of both worlds and thus have great potential for outstanding business advantages. The INNOspace Masters competition is the perfect platform to receive research grants and to win prizes, build awareness and boost business ideas related to space. According to the motto “Space Moves!”, the competition is looking for new ideas and solutions for the next space generation. A good example of how new technologies and space are interconnected is the project AISa.
AISa Alu Harness for Satellites
“Every kilogramme counts”, particularly when the costs for the transport of a communication satellite into a geostationary orbit per kilogramme equal the value of a luxury roadster. The objective of AISa is to develop new technologies for the use of aluminium-based cable bunches in satellite construction, thus avoiding the use of significantly heavier copper and achieving a weight saving of 50% in wiring. For this purpose, know-how from aircraft construction is used, and electromobility offers extensive transfer potentials as well.
AISa is a joint project of AES Aircraft Elektro/Elektronik System GmbH and the Fraunhofer Institute IFAM. Together with Skith – Skip the harness (the Overall Winner of the INNOspace Masters and winner of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Challenge 2016) and WALL#E – fibre-reinforced structures as energy storage for satellites (the INNOspace Masters Overall Winner and winner of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Challenge 2017), AISa supports cost-efficient and economical manufacturing of satellites.
Do you want to win a prize for your own space business idea? Do you like the idea of developing pioneering solutions just like AlSa? Become part of this progressive community and discover space technology for business innovation and vice versa!
Make it happen and SUBMIT YOUR IDEA for the INNOspace Masters Challenge by the DLR Space Administration by 16 February 2018 and boost innovative business concepts benefitting Earth and space.
About the INNOspace Masters ideas competition
The INNOspace Masters competition is being organised by the Space Administration of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as an embedded component of the INNOspace® initiative. AZO Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen, an international networking and branding company for the European space programmes, has been implementing the competition since 2015 on behalf of DLR. Partners of the competition are Airbus, OHB and the ESA Business Incubation Centres (BICs) Bavaria and Darmstadt.
