At a ceremony at ESA’s HQ in Paris earlier this month, ESA BIC Noordwijk alumnus Arceon has received a best proposal award for European Space Agency’s FIRST! (Future Innovation Research in Space Transportation) campaign. This is an initiative of the ESA Space Transportation (STS) Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP). The award recognises the startup’s innovative work in new materials for propulsion technology. The company will now lead an ESA project to co-develop attitude control thrusters, in partnership with Swedish company Ecaps. Arceon’s ceramic matrix composite Carbeon will be utilised for thermally-resilient propulsion systems.
Significant milestone
This award marks a significant milestone for Arceon as it is the company’s first project as a prime contractor under ESA. Over the past year, Arceon has secured three ESA-funded projects, reflecting its rapid growth and rising influence within the European aerospace and space technology ecosystem.
The ESA STS FIRST! campaign aims to support technological disruptors in Europe’s space transportation landscape, ensuring continued leadership in innovation and sustainability. As the project lead to co-develop advanced attitude control thrusters for satellites and launch vehicles, Arceon partners with Ecaps – a recognised leader in green propulsion technology, Both companies possess strong space heritage, showcasing proven capabilities in delivering high-performance, flight-proven solutions for demanding space applications.
This award reaffirms Arceon’s commitment to pioneering advanced material solutions that enhance propulsion efficiency and enable more sustainable space transportation
rahul shirke, CEO arceon
Composite material expertise
Arceon is known for developing affordable and scalable high-temperature carbon ceramic composites (Carbeon) – a critical material class enabling lighter, more efficient, and thermally resilient propulsion systems. These composites are engineered to withstand extreme thermal and mechanical stresses, making them ideal for cutting-edge aerospace applications.
Pushing the boundaries
The award was officially presented on 2 April 2025 at ESA’s HQ in Paris at an event where the winning companies from the different categories presented their value proposals to STS service providers, investors, potential users Member States Delegations, ESA representatives and exchange with the European Space Transportation ecosystem.
Representing Arceon on stage was project engineer Yestin van Haaren, during a panel with all the ESA award winners for the theme of “new materials and processes for propulsion systems” which was moderated by Kate Underhill (FLPP Propulsion Engineer at ESA).
“We are honoured to receive this recognition from ESA,” said Rahul Shirke, founder and CEO of Arceon. “This award reaffirms our commitment to pioneering advanced material solutions that enhance propulsion efficiency and enable more sustainable space transportation.”
The company continues to push the boundaries of materials science and aerospace engineering, with a focus on developing robust, lightweight, and high-performance solutions tailored for the most challenging space environments. With ESA’s support, the company is well-positioned to contribute significantly to the future of European spaceflight capabilities.
The news was initially shared in an Arceon press release and on LinkedIn.
