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Defence Industry and Space
News article18 January 2022

Space innovations: three finalists selected for the European Innovation Council (EIC) Horizon Prize on a Low-Cost Space Launch

The evaluation of the received applications for the EIC Horizon Prize for Low-Cost Space Launch solution is complete and the Commission is proud to announce the three finalists:

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Isar Aerospace Technologies GmbH: Spectrum is a high-performance two-stage launch vehicle based on clean propulsion specifically designed for small and medium satellites and satellite constellations. The German company promises to shape the future of European space flight by offering flexible, cost-effective and sustainable access to space.

Payload Aerospace SL: MIURA 5 is a reusable orbital micro launcher dedicated to small satellites launched from the European spaceport in Kourou. With this promising solution, the Spanish SME aims to place Spain among the few European countries with the capacity to access space.

Rocket Factory Augsburg AG: The RFA ONE launch vehicle combines a cost-efficient architecture using industrial automation and low development costs, precise in-orbit delivery and staged-combustion propulsion systems. The mission of the German SME is to significantly reduce the cost of access to space in Europe.

The EIC Horizon Prize on a Low Cost Space Launch was one of the six inducement prizes that were launched under the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot 2018 – 2020.

The challenge of this prize was to develop a European technologically non-dependent solution for launching light satellites into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), which would enable dedicated low-cost launches with committed schedule and orbit. The solution needed to be innovative, implementable, affordable in development and exploitation phases, and commercially viable.

The winner of this € 10 million prize will be announced on the 25th of January 2022on the occasion of the European Space Conference 2022 , in Brussels.

The award ceremony will be livestreamed from the Commission’s DG DEFIS official Twitter account @defis_eu from 10:30.

More information on the EIC prize is available here: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/low-cost-space-launch_en

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Publication date
18 January 2022