How Way4Space wants to get space projects off the ground

Open up a (royal) path to space … Both a center of reflection and an accelerator of projects, the public-private structure
Way4Space was officially inaugurated a few days ago, at its premises in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, near Bordeaux (Gironde).

Inauguration of Way4Space – © Laurent Wangermez? Way4Space

Launched in September 2020 in prefiguration mode under the name of Space Hub, Way4Space “is an initiative of the communities – town hall of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, Bordeaux metropolis and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region – which was quickly joined by the industrialists, Ariane Group, Dassault aviation and Thalès ”, explains Gosia Petaux, Way4Space project manager. The research sector – University of Bordeaux, CEA and association for atmospheric re-entry (HyFAR-ARA) – is also involved.

Ariane Group “jostled by Space X”

“We are in a process of bringing together people working in different spheres, ranging from environmental observation to space policy, explains Pierre-André Baudart, technical director at ArianeGroup, and director of Way4Space. The idea is also to show that space is highly developed in New Aquitaine, even if it weighs less than aeronautics. “This still represents 10,000 people, including 3,000 for Ariane Group alone,” points out Antoinette Pedron, communications director.

Even if Ariane Group – which has just announced the elimination of 600 jobs in France and Germany including 250 jobs on its three Gironde sites of Haillan and Saint-Médard-en-Jalles – is currently “jostled, especially by Space X” , there will be “opportunities to be taken in space,” insists Pierre-André Baudart. “The uses, whether for GPS, communications or the environment, will be growing strongly in the coming years,” he says. These markets will require satellite launches, and even satellite constellations, such as the OneWeb or Kuiper projects. “

There will be “need to intervene on the satellites”

It is in this perspective that Way4Space wants to “identify the projects in which to invest. “” For example, we are working on an atmospheric reentry capsule with the CEA and Ariane Group, in preparation for future exploration missions, particularly the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission which is scheduled for about ten years, and which will consist of to go get the samples that Perseverance is collecting on Mars, and bring them back to Earth. This will allow us in passing to show the progress that we have made in recent years in terms of materials. “

The Gironde structure also wants to develop the theme of in-orbit maintenance, “on orbit servicing” or “space service station”. “There, we are on a scale of 10 to 20 years, warns Pierre-André Baudart. With mega-constellations, and other smaller ones that are much less talked about, there will be a lot of people in low orbit in a few years and we will therefore need to intervene on the satellites, either to de-orbit a satellite that would have broken down, or even do repair or production in orbit. “

Budget of 1.8 million euros at start-up

Anchored in New Aquitaine, Way4Space is at the same time “open to the international”. “We want to find the best partners and on certain subjects, they are in other territories, such as activities around reusable launchers,” explains the person in charge of the structure. This market is global. “

The structure operates with a budget of 1.8 million euros for its start-up, which it hopes to double within two years. “Our objective is to start demonstration projects and to make them mature within two or three years”, hopes the director of Way4Space.

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