Excerpt from

Critical Space Technologies

for

European Strategic Non-Dependence

List of Urgent Actions for 2012/2013

Update for the 2014 Call of Horizon 2020

November2013

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Table of contents

1Objectives

2European Non-Dependence Process in 2011

3UrgeNT Actions nEEDING IMPLEMENTATION IN the Timeframe of 2014

3.1U1 - Space qualification of low shock Non-Explosive Actuators (NEA)

3.2U2 - Advanced thermal control systems

3.3U5 - Alternative to hydrazine in Europe

3.4U11 - ASICS for Mixed Signal Processing

3.5U17 - High density (up to 1000 pins and beyond) assemblies on PCB

APPENDIX : Table of Acronyms and Abbreviations

1Objectives

In 2011, EC, ESA and EDA ran together the process to prepare a list of urgent actions for Critical Space Technologies for European Strategic Non-Dependence for the time-frame of 2012-2013.

The consensus on the List of Urgent Actions 2012/2013 forCritical Space Technologies for European Strategic Non-Dependencehas been presented to the respective bodies of EC, ESA and EDA and been finalised in February 2012. The present document is an excerpt from that List specifically in the context of the Call 2014 of Horizon 2020. For further information on the process please refer to the full document. In addition the excerpt includes under the headings “Remarks” and “Information on relevant activities (status November 2013)” additional information to reflect developments since the original publication of the List.The row “Information on relevant activities (status November 2013)” includes where appropriate a programme reference for the activity.

2European Non-Dependence Process in 2011

The 2011 European Non-Dependence Process followed the procedure as defined in the EC-ESA-EDA JTF final report and executed for the first time in 2009. An overview on the overall process can be found in Figure 1.

Figure 1 European Non-Dependence Process in 2011

After the mapping meeting on 8 September 2011, the next stage was the planning of the way ahead in the form of a Roadmap (referred to hereinafter as the European Non-Dependence Urgent Action List):

  1. A Draft European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwasprepared by the three institutions, based on the information from the Background Document, and information gathered during the mapping meeting. The Draft European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwas delivered for review and comments to Member State (MS) Delegations and Industry Representatives on 4November.
  2. Industry (via Eurospace/SME4Space) was invited to present comments on the Draft European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listin a dedicated meeting with the EC,ESA and EDA held on 30 November. The updated Draft European Non-Dependence Urgent Action List, including Industry agreed comments, was then distributed to MS Delegations on 2 December, in preparation for the Roadmap Meeting.
  3. At the Roadmap Meetingheld on the 15 December 2011at ESTEC, the updated European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwas presented to the MS Delegations; the aim of the meeting was to arrive at an agreed European Non-Dependence Urgent Action List, including implementation recommendations where appropriate. After the Roadmap meeting, the European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwas updated to reflect the discussions and agreements of the meeting.
  4. The updated European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwas then sent to the MS Delegations for final review and comments.After implementing received comments the European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwasfinalised in February 2012, to be presented to the respective bodies of EC, ESA and EDA.
  5. The final European Non-Dependence Urgent Action List is distributed to all European stakeholders. An executive summary with excerpts of the document will be produced for widespread public usage.

The European Non-Dependence Urgent Action Listwill then be implemented in National and European Programmes.Tracking of the status of implementation will be performed yearly by EC, EDA, ESA and reported to EC, ESA and EDA respective bodies.

3UrgeNT Actions nEEDING IMPLEMENTATION IN the Timeframe of 2014

3.1U1 - Space qualification of low shock Non-Explosive Actuators (NEA)

Detailed Action / Space qualification for non-explosive hold down and release actuators on-board a flight opportunity.
Currentdevelopment activities have to be followed by flight opportunities to achieve flight heritage and subsequently access the commercial market with a full range (preload) of recurring products. The focus of the action is the development and qualification of flight hardware for this purpose, not the development of a specific In-Orbit Demonstration
Target TRL / 8
Application Domain / Target Application: especiallyTelecom, Science, Exploration and Navigation
Remarks / -
Information on relevant activities (status November 2013) / ESA ITI Assessment of smart materials for space mechanisms (Ref. B00008945)
ESA GSTP Development of a European pin puller (Ref. G528-001MS)
ESA ARTES: Non Explosive Release Actuator for HDRMs (Ref. 4E.016 resp. R4E.043)
National Developments

3.2U2 - Advanced thermal control systems

Detailed Action / Need to identify and fund in-flight demonstrations of two-phase technology.
–In-orbit Demonstration of two-phase heat pipe technology
Target TRL / 8
Application Domain / Target Application: High power/heat rejection mission, especially Telecom and dual use
Remarks / In addition an in-orbit demonstration of a complete DPR is urgently needed to increase maturity and acceptance level for potential users.
Note 1 (2013): The proposed activities can also include the development of technologies and elements for such a flight demonstration.
Note 2 (2013): In view of the evolution of technology and requirements, the activities could also be extended to include mechanically pumped (single-phase or two-phase) heat transport systems.
Information on relevant activities (status November 2013) / Recently closed activities by ESA:
–“Loop Heat Pipes withintegrated Peltier Element” (Ref. 4D.008)
–“High-Temperature Loop Heat Pipes” (Ref.4D.005)
On-going activities by ESA:
–“Heat Pump Conceptual Study” (Ref. T720-092MC)
–Deployable Radiator in frame of Alphabus Extension - full ground qualification
of a complete 1.5 kW, 4.5 M2 DPR (Alphabus Extension Programme)
–“Multiple-evaporator, multiple-reservoir Loop Heat Pipe” (Ref. T721-301MT)
–“Passive by-Pass Valve for Single and Two-Phase Mechanical Pumped Fluid Loops”(Ref. T721-304MT)
Activities under preparation by ESA for 2014/15:
–“Non-centrifugal Pump for Mechanical Pump driven Loops”(Ref. T721-305MT)
–“Mini Hybrid Capillary Pumped Loop” (Ref. T721-401MT)

3.3U5 - Alternative to hydrazine in Europe

Detailed Action / Ensure the availability of a less toxic alternative to Hydrazine
  • Both ESA and industry are now looking at future chemical propulsion subsystem design with the relevant impacts on component development.
  • In addition the impact of the REACH regulations on Hydrazine has the potential to affect the availability of European propulsion systems. The worst case scenario is that the use of Hydrazine will be restricted or prohibited in Europe in the mid-term.
To address this issue, it is important to act to negate the effects of the REACH regulation on use of Hydrazine as well as to invest in non-hydrazine propellants and technologies, including the qualification of appropriate thrust chamber and catalyst combinations,
Target TRL / 3-4
Application Domain / All
Remarks / Hydrazine is still in use today, but when the impact of the REACH regulation comes into full force in the coming years, considerable impacts especially on the use of materials like hydrazine are expected. Therefore, non-dependent alternatives are needed.
See also long-term action on low cost, solid and liquid green propellant formulations.
Information on relevant activities (status November 2013) / FP7 Space – Project GRASP (Green Advanced Space Propulsion)
See European Space Technology Harmonisation Roadmap on Chemical Propulsion - Green Propulsion( from 2012)
The following activities of the roadmap activities are running/have been already approved in ESA workprogrammes:
  • A1“LMP-103S Monopropellant Qualification”
  • A2 “1N HPGP Thruster Throughput Extension Material Investigation”
  • A5 “LMP-103S 1N Thruster Qualification”
  • A6 “200-300N Class Thruster Development for A5 Upper Stage”
  • A10 ”NOFBX Evaluation”
  • E1 “H2O2 Storability/Compatibility Verification (pending delegate funding support)”
  • E2 “LMP-103S System/Component Qualification Needs Evaluation”
Listed in roadmap but currently not funded by ESA:
  • A8 “H2O2 Development”
  • A9 “Monopropellant Thruster Scale Up (e.g. 5N class, 22N class)”
  • B4 “Alternate Green Monopropellant Development”
  • B3 “Green Solid Propellant for Spacecraft Applications (note: activity for solid propellant de-orbit applications has been initiated)”
  • D7 “Green Hybrid Propellant for Spacecraft Applications”
  • E3 “Key Propulsion System Hardware Development/Requal”
Activities that focus on the currently not funded roadmap items would be clearly complementary and most beneficial.

3.4U11 -ASICS for Mixed Signal Processing

Detailed Action /
  • Need to qualify ITAR free rad-hard mixed signal technologies
  • Establish development, verification and validation standards for derived IP cores
  • Identify a SOI source in Europe
  • Qualification of full supply chain (including assembling and test house, …)
  • Support European packaging of naked complex multi-pad dies and mixed ASIC testing capabilities

Target TRL / 7
Application Domain / Science, Telcom, Earth Observation
Remarks / Increased demand for mixed signal ASICS in Telecommunications and scientific satellites. Also for medium and high voltage applications
Information on relevant activities (status November 2013) / Running EDAAd Hoc Category B projects :
  • “Technology for High speed Mixed Signal Circuits” (demonstrate the availability within Europe of state-of-the-art high-speed mixed-signal processes )
  • “EDA System-on-Chip”-
(develop building blocks dedicated to SoC and digital processing platforms and related EU supply chain)
ESAECIactivity on “Assessment/ Characterisation of Mixed Signal Technology” (Ref. EEE17) is on-going, half-way.ESA TRP “Definition of a common flow for evaluation/qualification of Mixed Signal ASICS”(Ref. T723-305QT) isat the stage of ITT preparation, most likely to be started in Q1-2014. Any new activities on this topic should take into account the results obtained so far and the goals of these two activities.
CNES activity "Assessment/characterisation of Mixed signal capabilities of the CMOS/SOI 150nm ATMEL/L Foundry Rousset process for space applications"

3.5U17 - High density (up to1000 pins and beyond) assemblies on PCB

Detailed Action /
  • A solution for high pin count assemblies (1000 pins and beyond)is needed
  • In addition a reliable and qualified solution for column attached packaging is needed
  • A solution forlarge non-hermetic packages is needed
  • This action is for both Digital as well as Mixed ASIC packages

Target TRL / 6
Application Domain / All
Remarks / -
Information on relevant activities (status November 2013) / EDA PCB roadmap
ESA ECI Column attach process setup and evaluation (Ref. EEE1)
ESA ECI Development and Qualification of Flip Chip for digital advanced components (Ref. EEE2)
ESA TRP "HDI Technology and Thermount replacement with assembled devices" (Ref. T724-301QT)
TRP“Assessment of the reliability of High Density Integrated Boards (HDIs) for future space use” (Ref. T608-04QM)
ESA ECI “HDI PCB compatible with novel Flip Chip and High Pin Count Technologies”(Ref. EEE414). ESA ECI “Advanced Cooling Technologies compatible with Novel Flip Chip and High Pin count technologies" (Ref. EEE419) are planned to be started.
The running/approved ESA activities cover the first phase of the activities (Flip Chip/High pin count package/High density digital PCB). However the second phase of those activities is not covered by the running activities nor has the budget for the second phase yet been allocated.
This is in particular the case for qualification of HDI PCB technology compliant with PCB design specification ECSS-Q-ST-70-12, for which no ESA funds have been allocated. Assembly techniques and verification methods for high pin count packages on HDI PCBs have not yet been addressed by ESA.

APPENDIX : Table of Acronyms and Abbreviations

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ARTES / ESA Advanced Research In Telecommunication Systems Programme
ASIC / Application Specific Integrated Circuit
CNES / Centre National d’Études Spatiales
DPR / DePloyable Radiator
EC / European Commission
ECSS / European Cooperation for Space Standardization
ECI / European Component Initiative
EDA / European Defence Agency
EEE / Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical
ESA / European Space Agency
GSTP / ESA General Support Technology Programme
HDI / High Density Integration
HDRM / Hold Down and Release Mechanism
ITAR / International Traffic in Arms Regulations
JTF / Joint-Task-Force
MS / Member States
PCB / Printed Circuit Board
REACH / Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
SOI / Silicon On Insulator
TRL / Technology Readiness Level
TRP / ESA Basic Technology Research Programme

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