The European Space Agency is preparing new launch systems to meet Europe's future institutional needs and to continue spearheading groundbreaking space developments. In 2003 it set up the Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), a program designed to safeguard Europe's guaranteed access to space, weighing up the opportunities and risks of various launch-vehicle concepts and associated technologies.

The programe´s demonstrators and studies fine tune emerging technologies to give European launch-vehicle firms a competitive edge when converting the chosen design into an actual vehicle.

On 4 July last, as part of this overall endeavor, Emanuele Di Sotto, Head of GMV's SPS Launchers and Entry Systems Division, took part in the Paris Workshop on Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP).

This workshop, organized by ESA's Space Transport Strategy (STS), brought together sector experts to talk about the priorities and activities of future space transportation solutions. These activities will then be proposed in Space19 + for the future preparation of space transportation.

During the event GMV showcased in situ the engineering models of some of the MIURA-1 launcher's avionics components, which have been designed and integrated by GMV and its partners PLD Space, Seven Solutions and Anteral. Specifically, the onboard computer (OBC) and the inbuilt S/L band antenna were presented together with several engineering models of the main FLPP-funded projects. These included Prometheus, the new LOX- methane engine, which will be the main element of the future ArianeNext launcher.

GMV's participation in this event reinforces its commitment to the development of a solid space transportation ecosystem meeting Europe's needs.