Imagine you need to move heavy cargo through space — like a tugboat in a harbor, but for satellites. Traditional chemical rockets burn through fuel fast, which makes long missions expensive. ASPIRE built and tested a powerful electric engine (a Hall thruster) that uses krypton gas instead of expensive xenon, firing it for over 1000 hours to prove it works. They also trained AI software to predict how the engine will behave, cutting the time and cost of qualifying it for actual space flights.
Launching and moving heavy payloads in space is extremely expensive with chemical propulsion, and qualifying new electric engines for flight costs millions in ground testing. European satellite manufacturers and space logistics companies lack a flight-ready, high-power electric propulsion system that can use affordable propellant and be qualified without prohibitive test campaigns.
A 20kW Hall thruster system tested for over 1000 hours on krypton propellant, raised to TRL 6-7. An AI-powered Virtual Testing Suite using machine learning to simulate and accelerate thruster qualification, validated against real firing data and ready for deployment.
If you are a satellite manufacturer looking to offer high-power electric propulsion on your platforms — this project developed a 20kW Hall thruster system tested to TRL 6-7 with krypton propellant, backed by over 1000 hours of firing data. The krypton-based design cuts propellant costs compared to xenon systems while delivering high thrust and high specific impulse for orbit raising and station keeping.
If you are a space logistics company planning orbital transfer, debris removal, or satellite servicing missions — this project validated a reusable high-power electric propulsion system designed specifically for Space Tug platforms. The 20kW thruster with over 1000 hours of firing data on krypton provides the endurance and thrust needed for repeated orbital maneuvers at lower operational cost.
If you are an aerospace test facility struggling with the huge costs of ground-testing electric propulsion systems — this project built an AI-powered Virtual Testing Suite that uses machine learning to simulate thruster qualification, validated against real firing data. This can dramatically reduce the number of physical test hours needed, cutting qualification costs and timelines for your clients.
The project specifically targets reduced-cost qualification by using krypton instead of expensive xenon propellant and by deploying AI-based simulation to cut physical testing needs. Exact pricing is not disclosed in the project data, but the cost reduction strategy is built into the design at every level.
The 20kW Hall thruster was raised to TRL 6 (system level) with the thruster unit reaching TRL 7, meaning it is validated in a relevant environment. The project builds on prior results from the CHEOPS program, and the consortium includes 4 industry partners — including the coordinator SITAEL, a propulsion manufacturer — positioning it for commercial scale-up.
The project involves 8 partners across 6 countries, so IP is likely shared under consortium agreements. SITAEL SPA (Italy) coordinated the project and is the primary thruster developer. Licensing inquiries should be directed to the coordinator or relevant industrial partners.
Yes. The thruster accumulated more than 1000 hours of firing with krypton propellant. The AI-based Virtual Testing Suite was tested against real data and declared ready for deployment. The project targeted TRL 6 at system level and TRL 7 for the thruster unit.
The project targets three main mission types: Space Tug platforms for reusable orbital transfer services, active debris removal to reduce collision risks, and deep-space exploration missions such as Mars Sample Return. All benefit from the high thrust and efficiency of the 20kW system.
The project was funded as a Horizon 2020 Innovation Action under the SPACE-28-TEC-2020 topic, aligned with European space technology roadmaps. The AI qualification strategy is designed as a European asset for flight qualification in the 2020-2030 decade.
The ASPIRE consortium brings together 8 partners from 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, UK) with a balanced 50% industry ratio — 4 industrial partners and 3 universities plus 1 research organization. The coordinator SITAEL SPA is an Italian private company (not an SME) specializing in space propulsion, giving the project a clear commercial anchor. Three SMEs in the consortium add agility and specialized capabilities. The three academic partners developed the numerical modeling and AI tools, validated against the industrial test data — a practical industry-academia split where universities build simulation tools and industry builds and fires the hardware.
SITAEL SPA (Italy) — a space propulsion company. Contact their business development or technology licensing team.
Want an introduction to the ASPIRE team to discuss licensing the 20kW thruster technology or the AI qualification software? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right people.
