An international market place for space technology: Technology Transfer at Hanover Fair 2002

Paris, 08 April 2002

Fire extinguishers, skin cancer detectors and a record-breaking solar car: all examples of new products on Earth made possible thanks to space technology. ESA will present these, and many more space spin-offs, to non-space industry from all over the world at the Hanover Fair, the premier showplace for leading-edge technology (15/20 April, Hall 18, Stand A15, hosted by ESA's technology broker MST Aerospace).

Over the years, European space industries have gained great expertise in building, launching, and communicating with satellites. From this experience, many valuable products and services have been developed that improve our daily lives. To give a few examples: the small explosive charge that activates the airbag in our cars stems from those used to separate a launcher's propulsion stages; baby's pyjamas based on the technology in an astronaut's training suit help prevent cot deaths.

ESA has set up a programme to stimulate the spin-off of space technologies. The Technology Transfer Programme makes European space technologies available for licensing or further development. A network of technology brokers across Europe and Canada scout the space world and identify technologies with a potential for non-space applications. They then market the technology and provide assistance in the transfer process. The results since 1991: more than 150 million Euro of extra revenue for the companies involved, a figure set to rise to 1 billion Euro by 2004, some 1000 jobs created or saved, more than 20 new companies established and 130 successful transfers.

MST Aerospace, leader of the ESA network of technology brokers, will be presenting over a thousand new space technologies at the Hanover Fair. The display at the ESA/MST stand will include:

· The solar racing car Nuna, winner of the "World Solar Challenge", a 3010 km race across Australia from Darwin to Adelaide.

· A carbon-fibre space house, combining efficient and environment-friendly installations for energy and water with an earthquake-resistant structure.

· GTS (global transmission services) from the International Space Station, for functions such as worldwide synchronisation of wrist watches or immobilisation of stolen vehicles.

For more information, please contact :
Mr. W. Dupont
President
MST Aerospace GmbH
Tel. : +49.221.9498.920
Fax : +49.221.4912.443
E-mail : office@mst-aerospace.de

Mr. P. Brisson
Head of the Technology Transfer and Promotion Office
ESA/ESTEC
Tel: +31.71.565.4929
Fax: +31.71.565.4865
E-mail : Pierre.Brisson@esa.int

Paris, 9 April 2002
Press Release
N° 23-2002