The ICARUS consortium proudly participated in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025, held in Sydney, Australia, from 29 September to 3 October 2025. The IAC is the world’s premier space event, bringing together all space actors to discuss the latest information and innovations shaping the future of space, whose space exploration and transportation.
This year, ICARUS contributed with two technical papers that highlighted both the achievements of the project and the progress made in aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic research for Inflatable Heat Shields (IHS):
- “The achievements of the ICARUS project: the European flight-demonstration initiative to enable Inflatable Heat Shields toward reusable launchers’ applications”
- “Aerodynamic and Aerothermodynamic Investigation of (Un)Deformed Inflatable Heat Shield for Upper-Stage Recovery – EFESTO 1&2 and ICARUS Projects”
Highlights and Impact
The participation at IAC 2025 showcased how ICARUS not only consolidates European expertise in Inflatable Heat Shield technologies but also strengthens international collaboration in the field of reusable and sustainable space transportation.
Through its contributions, ICARUS demonstrated:
- The maturity and relevance of its technical developments to the global aerospace community.
- The potential of Inflatable Heat Shields as game-changing solutions for recovery and reuse of upper stages.
- The importance of linking past experiences (EFESTO 1 and EFESTO 2) with current advancements in ICARUS to create a consistent roadmap toward flight demonstration.
Looking Forward
The International Astronautical Congress provided a unique opportunity to share knowledge, gather feedback from the global community, and build momentum toward the next steps of the project.
As ICARUS progresses toward its Critical Design Review and upcoming flight demonstration, the consortium remains committed to shaping the future of inflatable and reusable technologies for Europe and beyond.
Stay tuned for the next updates as we continue this exciting journey!
#ICARUS #icarus_project #icarus_horizon #HorizonEurope #HorizonEU
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