Enabling & Support
09/02/2026
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What do space robotics, flexible solar arrays and flood prediction have in common? They can all be found among the 58 innovative research and development activities funded by ESA’s Discovery & Preparation programme through the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) between January and June 2025.
ESA set up the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) to discover and invest in new unconventional ideas that could greatly benefit and advance European space industry and academia.
Here, the minds behind five projects funded during this period tell us about their research, motivations and goals, as well as how ESA Discovery funding is helping them take their activities to the next level.
Trustworthy robotics for the future of space construction
Trustworthy robotic systems for space construction
Constructing, maintaining and recycling large space structures – from large data centres and antennas to space-based solar power systems – will require highly autonomous robots capable of adapting to constantly changing environments. In the ‘SpaceAlign: a framework for trustworthy robotics‘ activity, ESA Discovery is supporting a team from the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) that is developing the foundations for systems that can safely self-adapt during complex assembly operations on large space structures.
“This activity is part of the larger LATTICE campaign, which is currently underway, to study and demonstrate key technologies needed to enable these large space structures to be built and maintained,” explains Sarmad Aziz, ESA’s lead on the project. “The need for self-adaptation introduces an element of uncertainty in the behaviour of the robot that is difficult to adequately verify on-ground. The goal is to show that it is possible to define and verify a self-adaptation framework that ensures that the behaviour of the assembly robots is safe.”
“In SpaceAlign, we are investigating methods that allow a system to reliably adapt on its own to unexpected changes or incidents in the environment, ensuring that any adaptation successfully addresses the issue while maintaining safe mission parameters,” says Christian Skov Esbensen, a consultant at DTI. “We anticipate that the results could have significant commercial value, particularly in sectors where reliable, self-adaptive systems are needed – for example, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and remote operations.”
Revolutionary battery technology for deep space missions
Advanced battery technology for deep space missions
Missions venturing far from the Sun face a critical challenge: how to power spacecraft when solar energy becomes insufficient. Through the ‘Carbon fluoride as cathode for high energy density primary lithium batteries‘ activity, ESA Discovery is supporting a team from the University Clermont Auvergne in France that is developing advanced carbon fluoride cathodes for primary lithium batteries that could deliver unprecedented energy density for space applications.
“Compared to other primary lithium technologies, Lithium-Carbon fluoride electrochemistry offers a much higher specific energy – up to 750 Wh/kg at battery cell level,” explains Geraldine Palissat, ESA lead for the project. “This new technology will be of interest for electrical power supplying of any mission, far from the Sun.”
The technology represents a significant advancement over current European capabilities. Existing electrochemical energy storage relies on lithium thionyl chloride battery cells, the same technology used on ESA’s Philae lander, with an energy density limited to 468 Wh/kg at battery cell level.
The project has already attracted additional support, demonstrating its commercial potential. “I am working on the synthesis of fluorinated materials usable in batteries. It is the first time that one of my materials can go so far in its development,” says Dr Katia Araujo Da Silva, leading the research at University Clermont Auvergne. “It is co-funded by CNES and such batteries could really be deployed in true space applications,” she notes.
Flexible solar arrays: simplifying power for satellite constellations
Flexible solar array concept for satellite constellations
Satellite constellations in low Earth orbit demand cost-effective power solutions that don’t compromise on performance. Traditional flexible solar arrays offer weight and volume advantages but require complex deployment mechanisms that limit their appeal for smaller spacecraft. With ESA Discovery support through the ‘Flexible solar array for LEO constellations‘ activity, Airbus Netherlands is developing an innovative approach that combines flexibility with simplicity.
“In recent years, the concept of flexible or semi-rigid solar arrays has experienced a comeback,” explains Paul Hodgetts, a Solar Generator Systems Engineer and ESA lead for the project. “Such arrays lend themselves to mass, volume and cost reduction, by replacing bulky panel substrates with wafer thin membranes onto which the photovoltaic assembly is bonded.”
“This activity aims to develop a flexible solar array with a simple support structure which is unfolded like a traditional rigid solar array, making it an attractive concept for smaller spacecraft,” says Martin Kroon, leading the research at Airbus Netherlands.
The approach spans flexible membranes across rigid open frames, providing stiffness without sacrificing the benefits of flexible technology. This could prove particularly valuable as the industry shifts towards lower-cost silicon solar cells, which require larger array areas to match the efficiency of gallium arsenide alternatives.
“This flexible solar array technology has potential to lower the mass and stowed volume to such an extent that low-cost silicon solar cells may be used to power the spacecraft,” notes Kroon. “This will not only reduce the cost, but also the mass and stowed envelope.”
Predicting catastrophic floods from space
Satellite-based flood prediction research
When heavy rain falls on existing snowpack, the results can be devastating. These compound rain-on-snow events can trigger catastrophic flooding with severe consequences for communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Through the ‘Deciphering compound rain-on-snow flood pathways as observed from satellites‘ activity, ESA Discovery is supporting research that combines satellite observations with advanced modelling to better predict and understand these complex natural hazards.
The challenge lies in the complexity of compound events, where multiple factors interact to produce extreme outcomes. “My work focuses on understanding compound events in natural hazards – situations where multiple factors interact to produce an extreme outcome such as flooding,” says Dr Vincenzo Coia, a statistician at the Politecnico di Milano, who is leading the research. “Current computational approaches have limitations: classical statistical methods reliably quantify risk but may miss complex interactions, while machine learning excels at pattern recognition but struggles with rare, high-impact combinations.”
The project addresses this by developing hybrid approaches that combine the strengths of both statistical and machine learning methods. By integrating climate projections with historical satellite data, the research aims to improve understanding of how these floods will evolve under a warming climate.
“The methods and tools from this research are designed to be used directly in consulting practice,” notes Coia. “The new hybrid methods that combine classical statistics with machine learning will support more robust, risk-informed decision-making for infrastructure design, hazard mitigation, and long-term planning.”
“This activity is fully aligned with the EO Science strategy, as it tackles multiple overarching science themes, namely extreme natural hazards and water cycle,” explains Mounia El Baz, ESA lead for the project.
Harnessing Mars’ atmosphere for planetary resource extraction
Atmospheric resource utilisation concept for Mars
Future Mars missions will need to use local resources to reduce dependence on Earth-supplied materials. Current approaches to collecting and processing Martian soil rely heavily on mechanical systems, but researchers are now exploring whether the planet’s own atmosphere could be used for resource extraction. Through the ‘Utilization of the Martian atmospheric gases for collection, transport and beneficiation of regolith – Aeolis‘ activity, ESA Discovery is supporting a team from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) that is investigating whether technologies similar to vacuum cleaners, blowers, or wind tunnels could revolutionise how we gather and process materials on Mars.
“This activity addresses a major gap in current ISRU research: while pneumatic systems for sample acquisition exist, using the Martian atmosphere itself as an active resource for regolith collection, transport, and beneficiation has not been studied yet,” explains Dr Paul Zabel, leading the research at DLR. “Although pneumatic tools have been used in a few space missions for tiny sample collection, no one has ever studied whether Martian atmospheric gases could be used for full-scale resource utilisation.”
The approach could offer significant advantages over traditional mechanical systems. Rather than relying on heavy excavators prone to mechanical failure, atmospheric-based systems could collect fine soil for 3D printing, transport regolith into landers or processing units, and sort soil particles by size for resource extraction.
“Addressing technology gaps for ISRU is an important enabler for future mission feasibility,” notes Aidan Cowley, ESA lead for the project. “Being able to effectively separate materials using innovative techniques like the one being investigated in this project is important, as many ISRU processes are very particular on which feedstock material they are fed.”
“If this works, it could reduce system mass, complexity, and the risk of mechanical failures on future Mars missions,” adds Zabel. “It opens an entirely new pathway for how we might live and work on the Red Planet.”
Discover more about ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform, including how you can submit your own ideas, via our dedicated webpage.
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