- August 11, 2022
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France-Luxembourg Space Cooperation Quadripartite Agreement to focus on exploration and space resources
On July 7th, CNES (Centre national d'Études spatiales, France), the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) and Air Liquide signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) confirming their commitment to work together on developing research and technology (R&T) activities. In the months ahead, the four partners will be pursuing their discussions on research projects encompassing space exploration and in situ resource utilization (ISRU).
A first CNES-LSA workshop in September 2020 identified joint
initiatives aiming in particular to address the challenges and opportunities
arising out of developments in space exploration. At the same time, LSA, ESRIC
and Air Liquide, drawing on a 50-year heritage of handling gases in space,
engaged discussions with a view to collaborating on production and use of gases
produced from in situ space resources. Multilateral discussions subsequently
confirmed a shared interest in working together in areas such as in situ
production and storage of oxygen and hydrogen, production and storage of
hydrogen energy in space and on the lunar surface, technologies for life
support, and the refueling of satellites and launchers in orbit.
"ESRIC is a young initiative like no other in Europe,
powered by LSA and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST),
with ESA as a strategic partner. We believe this new collaboration between
France and Luxembourg will be instrumental in developing our centre and we're
delighted to be working with players like CNES and Air Liquide” said Mathias
Link, ad-interim Director of ESRIC.
"Space resources will be key for future space
exploration,” added Marc Serres, CEO of LSA. "Being able to exploit
them is a crucial stepping stone to build a permanent human presence in space.
It will also open up new avenues in terms of business models and in-space
products and services.”
"From Earth to space and from space to Earth, Air
Liquide intends to contribute, with its partners, to the emergence of a
virtuous loop by creating synergies between our terrestrial and space
technologies with the aim of their mutual improvement. We are pleased to bring
our expertise for a more sustainable development of space", adds Benoît
Hilbert, General Manager of Air Liquide Advanced Technologies.
CNES, LSA, ESRIC and Air Liquide are in discussions to form
within the 2022 time frame joint teams to work on concrete research projects
aimed at developing key technologies for in situ production and utilization of
gases required to make space exploration more viable in the long term.
These discussions come under the scope of the framework
agreement signed between CNES and Luxembourg in 2009 that identifies a range of
areas for cooperation including remote sensing, support for development of
microsatellites by Luxembourg, innovative satellite technologies for
telecommunications, materials analysis and expertise, and maritime safety. They
reaffirm the two nations' desire to step up their cooperation in space.
After the signature of the LoI, CNES Chief Operating
Officer Lionel Suchet underlined "the great prospects this cooperation
holds out for developing the space ecosystem and in particular the applications
sector in France and Luxembourg.”
Press release by the Luxembourg Space Agency