Join Us at the ESA Thermal Workshop 2025

We're Presenting at Europe's Premier Space Thermal Engineering Event

September 9-11, 2025 | ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

We're excited to announce that our team will be presenting at the European Space Thermal Engineering Workshop 2025, organized by the ESA Thermal Division. This prestigious three-day event brings together the brightest minds in space thermal engineering from across Europe and beyond.

Our Presentation

Dynamic Thermal Simulation of a Reusable Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator during Entry and Descent from LEO towards Earth

Dynamic Thermal Simulation of a Reusable Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerator during Entry and Descent from LEO towards Earth
Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 11:30 AM | Newton 1
Contribution ID: 11256

We'll be presenting breakthrough research on the thermal performance of Inflatable Atmospheric Decelerators (IADs) - a revolutionary technology that could transform how we return cargo from space to Earth. Our work addresses one of the most critical challenges in space exploration: developing affordable and sustainable return technologies that can withstand the extreme thermal conditions of atmospheric re-entry.

What makes this research significant:

  • Disruptive Technology: IADs function as both reusable radiatively-cooled heat shields and high-velocity parachutes, offering enhanced mass efficiency and reduced costs compared to traditional ablative heatshields, retrorockets, and parachutes
  • Comprehensive Thermal Analysis: Our transient thermal simulation covers a complete re-entry trajectory from 260 km altitude (near Low Earth Orbit) down to 30 km, incorporating dynamic atmospheric conditions, spacecraft velocity changes, and varying orientations
  • Advanced Modeling Approach: We've developed an automated simulation workflow that predicts convective heat flux at stagnation points and across re-entry surfaces, while accounting for radiative exchange with Earth and space, plus solar and Earth-reflected heating
  • Practical Applications: This technology could enable more cost-effective return of scientific samples, manufacturing products, and other valuable cargo from space-based operations

Our presentation will demonstrate how advanced thermal simulation techniques can be used to optimize next-generation re-entry technologies, providing attendees with insights into both the thermal challenges of atmospheric re-entry and innovative approaches to spacecraft thermal design.

About the ESA Thermal Workshop

The European Space Thermal Engineering Workshop is the continent's leading forum for thermal engineers working on space missions. This year's workshop aims to provide a forum for the exchange of views, experiences, best practices and lessons learned from thermal engineers involved in space missions, promote and facilitate contact between thermal engineers and thermal technologies and tool developers, present recent developments on all aspects related to the thermal engineering domain, and present new approaches and methodologies for thermal design, analysis and verification.

Event Details

When: Tuesday, September 9 - Thursday, September 11, 2025
Where: ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Format: In-person presentations and networking (live event only - not hybrid or online)
Language: English

Connect With Us

We look forward to sharing our latest research and connecting with fellow thermal engineering professionals at this premier industry event. If you're attending the workshop, please stop by our presentation or reach out to schedule a meeting.

For more information about the ESA Thermal Workshop, visit the official event page.