ESA-backed CASSANDRA project targets composite SHM, repair maturation

Self-healing composites provider, CompPair (Renens, Switzerland), digital manufacturing and structural health monitoring (SHM) manufacturer Com&Sens (Eke, Belgium) and technology innovation center CSEM (Neuchâtel, Switzerland) have been awarded a contract in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ESA FIRST! campaign for autonomous damage sensing and repair. The ESA is supporting the Composite Autonomous SenSing AnD RepAir (CASSANDRA) project, in collaboration with these companies, in an effort to advance the inspection and repairability of composite structures, particularly in the aerospace sector. 

The CASSANDRA project, a result of the latest Invitation to Tender (ITT) activity, focuses on maturing technologies that enable easy inspection and repair of composite structures. At its core, the project seeks to integrate a sophisticated SHM and healing systems into composite structures, such as panels, constructed with HealTech CS01, a material developed and commercialized by CompPair. By autonomously sensing and healing damage throughout the lifetime of space structures, including reusable launchers, the project aims to enhance safety and extend the operational lifespan of critical aerospace infrastructure. 

One of the distinguishing features of the CASSANDRA project is its commitment to benchmarking the embedded damage sensing and healing system against traditional nondestructive analysis (NDA) techniques, such as ultrasound or X-ray analysis. This rigorous evaluation process will reportedly provide valuable insights into the reliability and efficiency of the innovative technology developed through the project. 

“We are thrilled to collaborate with our partners on the CASSANDRA project and grateful for the support of the ESA,” says Robin Trigueira, CTO of CompPair. “This initiative represents a significant step forward in advancing composite SHM and repair technology, with far-reaching implications for the aerospace industry and beyond.”