SPARK Project — Bimo Tech Wins ESA FIRST! Propulsion Award in Materials and Processes

Bimo Tech joins the future of European propulsion! We are honored to be selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as a winner of the FIRST! Propulsion programme in the Materials and Processes category.

The FIRST! Propulsion programme is part of ESA's FLPP (Future Launchers Preparatory Programme), aimed at strengthening Europe's future space transportation capabilities through rapid de-risking of innovative technologies. From 95 eligible ideas, 40 proposals from over 60 entities across 12 ESA Member States, 16 winning projects were selected.

Our SPARK project (Space Propulsion Advanced Refractory alloys and Know-how) involves developing a new class of advanced alloys engineered to withstand extreme heat, pressure, and oxidizing environments — conditions found in next-generation rocket engines and other critical applications where materials simply cannot fail.

These alloys are being developed in collaboration with ArianeGroup and leading European research institutions. While space launch systems are the primary target, these alloys may soon be relevant to industries as diverse as: power generation, high-performance machinery, defense, hydrogen combustion, and advanced manufacturing.

Marcin Orzechowski, CEO of Bimo Tech, said: "I believe our work is a vital step towards sustainable European propulsion. I would like to thank ESA for this opportunity and Kate and the team for the quick and efficient evaluation of our proposal."

Kate Underhill, ESA's Technical Officer for FIRST! Propulsion, stated: "I am really excited to present the awards to these 16 companies and to show the breadth and range of experience in the space propulsion sector in Europe."

The winners in the Materials and Processes category are: ARCEON (Netherlands), AVIO (Italy), and Bimo Tech (Poland). The programme also includes companies in the Sensors and Electrification, Hydrogen Peroxide and New Propellants, and Engine Components categories — 16 entities from across Europe.

With contracts finalized, the focus now shifts to development and testing over the next twelve months. The timeline is demanding, but reflects the pace of the programme and the momentum of FIRST! — showing that FIRST! is not just setting ambitions for Europe's space transportation future, but actively driving them forward.

We are proud to bring innovation from Poland to Europe and beyond, supporting ESA's vision of fast, sustainable technology development in space and industry.