Imagine if a rocket could tell you exactly where it's hurt after a flight, like a digital nervous system. Instead of spending weeks manually inspecting every inch of the vehicle, these built-in sensors spot damage instantly. It's like moving from a full medical check-up to a smartwatch that monitors your heart 24/7.
Reusable launchers currently rely on slow, expensive post-flight manual inspections. This creates a bottleneck that increases turnaround time and operational costs.
A full technological chain including PZT ultrasound sensors for ground measurement and FBG optical fibers for in-flight thermo-mechanical monitoring, including the electronics and software to process the data.
If you are a rocket manufacturer dealing with slow turnaround times between flights — this project developed embedded sensing systems that reduce dependence on post-flight manual testing. This allows for a higher flight cadence and lower operational costs.
If you are a producer dealing with structural fatigue in high-stress components — this project developed ultrasound and optical fiber monitoring that detects damage in real-time. This ensures safer reuse of expensive industrial assets.
If you are a maintainer dealing with expensive non-destructive testing for airframes — this project developed a full chain of sensors and data processing that monitors thermo-mechanical stress. This cuts the time needed to certify a vehicle for its next mission.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not provided, but the objective is to create cost-effective SHM solutions to reduce operational costs.
The project aims to reach TRL 7 through qualification tests on Ariane and Vega launchers, indicating a move toward industrial scale.
Based on available project data, the project establishes a European supply chain with 12 partners, but specific licensing terms are not listed.
The system uses embedded PZT sensors and FBG optical fibers to move from traditional manual inspections to real-time sensing.
The project runs for 36 months, from 2026-07-01 to 2029-06-30.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 58% industry ratio, comprising 7 industrial partners including major players like ArianeGroup and Avio. With 12 partners across 6 European countries and 3 SMEs, the group is structured to ensure a direct path from research to a functional European supply chain.
Contact the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) in France.
Contact us to connect with the SERENITY consortium for TRL 7 qualification opportunities.
