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\t\t\t\t\t\t28\/01\/2025<\/span> The best way to test new space technologies is to actually fly them in space. Today the European Space Agency signed on behalf of the European Commission a series of contracts with small satellite makers from across our continent to ensure rapid access to orbit through rideshare services for future European innovations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The contract signing took place at the 17th<\/sup> European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium, and is part of the In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation (IOD\/IOV) programme managed by ESA on behalf of the European Commission. The contracts were awarded to Aerospacelab, Berlin Space Technologies, D-Orbit, ISISPACE, LuxSpace and Open\u00a0Cosmos.<\/p>\n The IOD\/IOV programme ensures that innovative technologies can be effectively tested in space, reducing the time it would otherwise take to bring them to market. By offering a boost for space tech innovators, the\u00a0programme increases the competitiveness of the European space sector.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cIn-orbit demonstration is a dynamic field, requiring flexibility and responsiveness to maximize its potential,\u201d comments Dietmar Pilz, ESA\u2019s Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality.<\/p>\n \u201cTo enhance the agility of the programme, ESA and the European Commission have decided to integrate rideshare opportunities, which offer experiments a secure and rapid path to orbit on commercial missions. This is a win-win: the experiment benefits from a quick service, while the mission owner can optimise their available capacity by accommodating additional payloads.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Ekaterini Kavvada, Director of Secure and Connected Space at the European Commission, adds: \u201cWith the creation of this pool of European rideshare providers, we continue the paradigm shift in our procurement approach acting as anchor customers for industry, adopting a faster service-oriented approach and onboarding new players from six different EU countries.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cEnhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector is the major driver of our continuous support to innovation. IOD\/IOV is the new space gateway open to the whole ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n Through the IOD\/IOV programme, ESA and the European Commission have already supported 10 satellites (e.g. UPMSat-2, ANSER), 2 proof-of-concepts (e.g. Vega SSMS) and over 30 technologies (e.g. star trackers, optical instruments and propulsion systems) under various frameworks.<\/p>\n Until now, ESA has been in charge of the \u2018complete package\u2019 for any IOD\/IOV technology activities \u2013 including the provision of a dedicated spacecraft and its launch. To establish a faster and more efficient approach, the procurement of this service will be extended to selected rideshare providers, who will accommodate the chosen experiments on their existing missions.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The selected rideshare companies will now have the possibility to bid for the accommodation, launch and operation of IOD\/IOV experiments on their commercial missions. The IOD\/IOV experiments are selected on a regular basis through the open Call for Expression of Interest, with 15 March 2025 as the next cut-off date for the experiment selection.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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