The International Week on Micro and Nano Technologies for Space is an event organized jointly by the ESA and CANEUS Organization to be held at ESTEC on September 13-17, 2010. This unique event builds on the previous six ESA Round-Tables on MNT for Space and five CANEUS World Conferences and Workshops.

Technical papers and laboratory proven innovative concepts are being solicited for the International Week on Micro and Nano Technologies for Space

Laurent Marchand
Head of Components Technology Section
European Space Agency
PO Box 299
2200 AG Noordwijk
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-71-565 5005
Fax: +31-71-565 5658
E-mail

Milind Pimprikar
CANEUS International
431 Brock Avenue,
Montreal, Quebec,
Canada H4X 2G6
Tel: (514) 499-3959
Fax: (514) 907-6199
E-mail

The European Space Agency (ESA) is promoting the use of state of the art technologies for space applications by organising the 7th ESA Round-Table on Micro & Nano Technologies for Space Applications. It will be the opportunity to consolidate the MNT landscape and to discuss on the additional efforts needed to concretise MNT access to space programs, for spacecraft miniaturisation, attitude & orbit control system, telecommunication, payloads for Earth observation and space science, spacecraft power, launchers, navigation, etc.

Abstracts are solicited in the following topical areas for consideration for either oral or poster presentations:

• Micro-packaging and system integration
• Design and modelling of MEMS and MST
• Test, reliability and evaluation for space
• Technology transfer to and from space industry
• Flight feedback from in-orbit demonstration
• Usage in space projects
• Technology roadmaps
• Current strategy for the development of MNT for space

Since a few years, the interest of the space sector for nanotechnologies has increased and studies are now being performed to evaluate their potential. There are great expectations but there is still a need to investigate how well nanotechnology could answer the actual needs of the space community. Therefore, this Round-Table will also be the occasion to present the recent achievements in this field and to discuss realistic space applications.

Topics particularly encouraged for nanotechnologies are:

• Improvement of material intrinsic properties with nanomaterials (thermal and electrical conductivities, mechanical properties, radiation resistance,…)
• Characterisation of nanomaterials and nano-objects
• Nanotechnologies for microelectronics and microwave devices
• Nanotechnologies for power applications
• Upscale strategy

Moreover, this event shall also open new perspectives for disruptive technologies. In that respect, nanotechnology potential assets for space applications shall be presented, as well as related assessment and development activities.

CANEUS workshops are dedicated to fostering international collaboration on the development of advanced micro and nanotechnologies (MNT) from concepts to ultimate infusion into next generation aerospace systems. The CANEUS Workshops take a practical approach to efficiently overcoming the challenges associated with matching aerospace application needs with the new capabilities offered by emerging micro and nanotechnologies. The workshop program emphasizes measurable deliverables with lasting impact for the aerospace industry.

The objective of the CANEUS 2010 Workshops is to oversee the formation of international public/private partnerships within the space community by fostering a collaborative environment aimed at the adoption, adaptation, and accelerated commercialization of micro and nano technologies. These international public/private partnerships between industry, university, and government stakeholders pool membership’s resources to define and execute high-risk, high-cost projects and initiatives. Sector Consortia thus constitute smoothly functioning development “pipelines” for emerging technology concepts. CANEUS currently coordinates Sector Consortia dedicated to Small Satellites, Reliability, Fly-by-Wireless, Devices and Nano-materials.

We encourage you to submit abstracts that describe novel MNT-based concepts for materials, devices and systems, including packaging and reliability testing

• Space radiation shield based on advanced nanostructured carbon carbon materials (engineering and testing)
• Use of carbon nanofibres as nanosensors for damage detection
• New concept architectures of thermal protection system for re-entry vehicles, based on nanotechnologies
• Multi-functional structures

• Propulsion, Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C), Communications
• Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance
• Micro-Nano devices for energy and power applications
• MNT based Small satellites
• Wireless Sensors and architectures

• Novel packaging techniques for MNT systems
• Harsh Environment packaging and testing
• Radiation tolerance

• International MNT-development collaborations
• Pilot programs for coordinated international development of aerospace MNT Systems