Space

Unique of its kind, the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) is a joint initiative between LIST, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Settled within LIST, it aims to become the internationally recognised centre of expertise for scientific, technical, business and economic aspects related to the use of space resources for human and robotic exploration, as well as for a future in-space economy.

The creation of ESRIC follows a Memorandum of Cooperation that was signed between ESA and Luxembourg in November 2019. It is part of the Luxembourg government initiative SpaceResources.lu, which was launched in 2016 in order to create a favourable ecosystem for the development of activities related to the exploration and use of space resources.

Official website: www.esric.lu

PRIORITY AREAS

While research will cover the full value chain, it will initially focus on advancing knowledge and technologies for extracting oxygen from lunar regolith. In the future, activities will also encompass other sections of the value chain.

ESRIC’s research activities will focus on four main areas:

• ISRU Value Chain: Define and lead collaborative end-to-end ISRU projects
• Prospecting and Mining: Identify, excavate, transport and handle space resources
• Processing and Supplying: Transform space resources and produce, store and deliver feedstock and consumables
• Construction and Manufacturing: manufacture components, repair parts, and build infrastructure using space resources

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

ESRIC’s laboratories and testing facilities will be located at LIST’s premises in Belvaux Luxembourg with dedicated office space for staff, contractors and external users associated to the projects.

During the initial phase, research facilities will provide the following capabilities:

• Dry Chemistry and Analytical suite: this will provide users with access to the standard powder and sand handling tools, as well as analytical capabilities for the characterisation of input and output materials (i.e. simulant regolith and deoxygenated powders).
• Wet Chemistry suite: this will provide users with facilities to handle liquid substances (including acids used for output clean up) to process materials to be then analysed.
• E2E Demonstrators and Assembly suite: this room will host E2E reactors workbenches for components assembly and modifications

The centre’s activities will be supported by the establishment of ISRU dedicated laboratories that provide users with both standard and bespoke equipment.