UC3M Aerospace Engineering Secures ERC Consolidator Grant for Breakthrough Research in Space Propulsion

The Aerospace Engineering Department at Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) is proud to announce that Professor Mario Merino has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant for the project ROCINANTE, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to transform our understanding of next-generation space propulsion technologies.

Funded with €2 million by the ERC, ROCINANTE (Taming nonlinear oscillations and turbulence for optimal design and operation of space plasma thrusters) seeks to address one of the central challenges of future space missions: understanding and controlling the plasma fluctuations that limit the efficiency and durability of electrodeless plasma thrusters (EPTs). These devices have the potential to revolutionize spacecraft propulsion, thanks to their simplified architecture and ability to operate with virtually any propellant, making them especially promising for long-duration missions or in-situ resource utilization scenarios such as those envisioned on Mars.

However, current EPTs face significant performance limitations due to plasma oscillations and turbulence, which cause energy losses and damage to engine components. “These phenomena remain one of the blind spots preventing the development of truly versatile and efficient thrusters,” explains Professor Merino, Principal Investigator of the project.

ROCINANTE will tackle this challenge through a comprehensive research strategy that includes:

• High-resolution experimental measurements of plasma fluctuations using a custom ECR (electron-cyclotron-resonance) plasma source equipped with advanced sensors and actuators.
• The development of a next-generation particle-in-cell computational model capable of simulating plasma dynamics with unprecedented speed and realism.
• A detailed investigation into the interaction of multiple oscillation modes within the plasma.
• A exploration of active plasma-fluctuation control, aiming to mitigate detrimental behaviours and enable the design of more efficient, reliable, and long-lasting propulsion systems.

This achievement further reinforces UC3M’s commitment to frontier research. In the same ERC call, the University also received a second Consolidator Grant for a project in the field of social mobility and inequality, bringing UC3M’s total to 21 ERC projects to date and more than €28 million in competitive European funding. The Aerospace Engineering Department now hosts 2 ERC Consolidator Grants and 2 ERC Starting Grants. 

 More info here. Related article.