Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH

Innovative Projects
AAC works with space companies, technology developers, material suppliers and research organisations to transform innovative ideas into tested and space-ready technologies.
Depending on the project, AAC contributes as a material or coating developer, material supplier, tribology specialist, test-method developer, independent validation partner or operator of specialised thermal-vacuum test facilities.
Our projects demonstrate our capabilities in advanced materials, coatings, dry lubrication, bearings, gears, actuators, contamination control and the qualification of space mechanisms.
MAC – Molecular Adsorption Coating
Funding: ESA
Partners: Gusland Consulting, Materials, OHB
Sensitive satellite instruments and optical surfaces can be impaired by molecular contamination. MAC develops an adsorption coating that can be applied close to sensitive surfaces to capture molecular contaminants and maintain the required cleanliness level.
AAC contribution: Participation in the development of an innovative functional coating for contamination-sensitive spacecraft applications.
Potential cooperation areas: Functional coatings, contamination control, optical instruments, material development and space qualification.
ProFilm – European Protective Thin Films for Space Applications
Funding: ESA
Partners: HPS, AAC, DLR
ProFilm develops next-generation multifunctional films for demanding space applications. The films are designed to combine properties such as resistance to atomic oxygen, low reflectivity and adaptability to different mission requirements.
Potential applications include thermal-insulation systems, de-orbiting technologies and external spacecraft surfaces.
AAC contribution: AAC supplies the advanced material used as the basis for the protective-film technology and supports its adaptation for space applications.
Potential cooperation areas: Advanced material supply, protective films, multifunctional surfaces, atomic-oxygen-resistant materials and European space products.
EVA-MODEL – Evaporation Modelling for Long-Life Space Mechanisms
Funding: ESA
Partners: CIM-mes, Nengineering
Lubricant evaporation is a critical lifetime and contamination issue for mechanisms used in long-duration and geostationary missions.
EVA-MODEL develops a predictive model that considers the main mission parameters affecting lubricant mass loss. A web-based engineering tool enables mechanism designers to predict lubricant evaporation and optimise future spacecraft mechanisms.
AAC contribution: Participation in the development and experimental validation of the lubricant-evaporation methodology, drawing on AAC’s expertise in vacuum tribology and space mechanisms.
Potential cooperation areas: Lubricant lifetime prediction, outgassing, contamination assessment, vacuum testing and engineering-tool development.
LabMat – Ball-Bearing Labyrinth Modelling and Testing
Funding: ESA
Partners: CIM-mes, Nengineering
LabMat develops an improved and simplified methodology for predicting lubricant evaporation through labyrinth seals in spacecraft bearings.
The methodology supports the assessment of whether sufficient lubricant will remain available until the end of a mission. It also helps evaluate potential molecular-contamination risks for nearby sensitive surfaces.
AAC contribution: Participation in experimental testing and validation relating to bearings, lubricant evaporation and contamination risks.
Potential cooperation areas: Bearing systems, lubricant-retention concepts, labyrinth seals, vacuum testing and mechanism-lifetime modelling.
A3Lub2 – European Dry Lubrication for Deployment Applications
Funding: ESA
Partners: BGC, Ensinger Sintimid, Harmonic Drive SE, LSS
A3Lub2 validated the European PTFE-based material TS8591 for bearing cages used in demanding spacecraft deployment mechanisms.
AAC carried out the validation of the material and extensive bearing tests using its DYNAX test system. DYNAX enables combined axial and radial loading and allows bearing preloads to be modified during testing.
The successful test campaign supported the selection of TS8591 for the Large Deployable Reflector of the CIMR Earth-observation mission.
AAC contribution: Material validation and application-specific testing of dry-lubricated bearings under representative mechanical conditions.
Potential cooperation areas: Dry-lubricated bearings, deployment mechanisms, bearing lifetime tests, mission-specific load simulation and European material qualification.
SLPMC2 – European Solid-Lubrication Material for Space Bearings
Funding: ESA
Partner: Ensinger Sintimid
SLPMC2 addressed European dependence on non-European materials for dry-lubricated spacecraft bearings.
Ensinger Sintimid developed the PTFE-based material TS8591 with support from AAC. When used as a bearing-cage material, TS8591 transfers solid lubricant from the cage via the balls onto the bearing raceways.
Long-duration bearing tests demonstrated low and stable running torque with the newly developed material.
AAC contribution: Support during material development and validation through long-duration ball-bearing testing.
Potential cooperation areas: Self-lubricating polymers, bearing cages, European supply chains, material screening and lifetime verification.
Piezomotors and Friction-to-Move
Funding: ESA and FFG
Partners: CEDRAT, RHP
Linear piezoelectric motors offer high torque-to-mass ratios, accurate positioning and the ability to maintain their position without continuous power consumption. Their reliable operation, however, depends on stable friction and low wear.
AAC first validated the friction coefficient under conditions representative of the stick-slip motion of piezoelectric motors.
Based on the results, AAC subsequently developed a new coating within the Friction-to-Move project. The coating provides medium and stable friction in both ambient air and high vacuum.
AAC contribution: Representative tribological testing and development of a dedicated friction-control coating.
Potential cooperation areas: Piezoelectric actuators, friction-driven mechanisms, functional coatings, high-vacuum tribology and wear optimisation.
4Dprint – Additively Manufactured Compliant Mechanisms
Funding: ESA
Partners: RHP, FOTEC
Compliant mechanisms can replace conventional tribological components such as bearings or gears and may therefore operate without conventional lubrication.
Within 4Dprint, RHP manufactured an additively produced compliant rotary actuator based on shape-memory-alloy technology.
AAC adapted its HADES test facility and tested the performance of the mechanism under thermal-vacuum conditions. The measurements included stiffness, output torque and output angle.
AAC contribution: Development of a customised test configuration and thermal-vacuum performance testing of an innovative compliant actuator.
Potential cooperation areas: Additive manufacturing, compliant mechanisms, shape-memory alloys, customised test methods and non-standard mechanism testing.
HarmADES – Improved Harmonic Drive® Gears for Space
Funding: FFG and DLR
Partners: Harmonic Drive SE and specialised heat-treatment partners
HarmADES aimed to improve the torque capacity and lifetime of solid-lubricated Harmonic Drive® gears for space applications.
Together with the industrial partners, a new nitriding process was developed for precipitation-hardening steels used in space gears. The process was designed to avoid a brittle compound layer while improving subsurface hardness.
AAC contribution: Materials and tribology expertise, contribution to the development of the surface-treatment concept and testing of Harmonic Drive® gears under representative conditions.
Potential cooperation areas: Space gears, surface treatments, dry lubrication, thermal-vacuum testing and international technology-development projects.
MREP – Mechanisms Operating at Low Temperatures
Funding: ESA
Partners: Harmonic Drive SE, Tecnomare
MREP transferred the improved nitriding technology developed in HarmADES to a Harmonic Drive® gear intended for low-temperature operation.
The gear successfully completed more than 63,000 output revolutions under continuous thermal cycling between –80 °C and –5 °C while maintaining high efficiency.
AAC contribution: Application-level lifetime testing of a Harmonic Drive® gear under demanding low-temperature and thermal-cycling conditions.
Potential cooperation areas: Low-temperature mechanisms, gear qualification, technology transfer and long-duration thermal-vacuum testing.
CronHard – Stress-Corrosion-Resistant Bearing Components
Funding: ESA
Partners: Cerobear, Harmonic Drive SE
CronHard addressed the risk of stress-corrosion cracking in high-hardness bearing steels used in highly loaded and integrated mechanism designs.
The project validated a heat treatment that enabled Cronidur steel to pass stress-corrosion testing at 50% of its yield strength without signs of corrosion or cracking.
A Harmonic Drive® wave-generator bearing manufactured from the treated material was subsequently subjected to an almost six-month thermal-vacuum lifetime test between approximately –40 °C and +90 °C.
AAC contribution: Heat treatment of Cronidur components and validation through material testing and long-duration thermal-vacuum lifetime testing.
Potential cooperation areas: Bearing steels, heat treatment, stress-corrosion cracking, integrated bearing designs and extended qualification campaigns.
Magnetic Brake – High-Resolution Magnetic Brake Actuator
Funding: ESA
Partners: IIES, LCM
An Austrian consortium developed a contactless magnetic brake that can be connected to a motor to increase its effective torque.
The device operates without mechanical contact or wear and can reduce the electrical power required by spacecraft actuators.
AAC tested the magnetic brake under representative space conditions, including high vacuum and hot and cold temperatures. AAC also verified the predicted performance of the device.
The test campaign was successfully completed, and the magnetic brake exceeded ESA’s performance specifications.
AAC contribution: Thermal-vacuum testing and independent performance verification of the complete actuator system.
Potential cooperation areas: Contactless actuators, magnetic systems, power-efficient mechanisms, performance verification and thermal-vacuum qualification.
BMG – Bulk Metallic Glasses for Space Mechanisms
Funding: ESA
Partners: RHP, FOTEC, OptAlm
Bulk metallic glasses are rapidly cooled metallic alloys with an amorphous structure and unusual mechanical and tribological properties.
AAC acted as a subcontractor to RHP and supported the material characterisation and application testing of bulk metallic glasses for springs and hold-down-and-release mechanisms.
Fretting tests under representative launch conditions showed unexpectedly low adhesion when the material was in contact with itself. This makes bulk metallic glasses a promising material option for future release mechanisms.
AAC contribution: Material characterisation and application-oriented testing of springs and hold-down-and-release mechanisms.
Potential cooperation areas: Novel metallic materials, fretting tests, launch-condition simulation, springs, release mechanisms and early-stage material screening.
ESA Materials Testhouse – Metallic Materials Characterisation
Funding: ESA
Duration: More than 35 years of continuous cooperation with ESA
AAC has supported ESA and the European space industry since 1989 through the independent characterisation and validation of metallic materials and manufacturing processes.
The ESA Materials Testhouse provides reliable data that enables space engineers to introduce new materials and processes into future missions.
Recent activities include the assessment of stress-corrosion-cracking resistance in additively manufactured materials and the evaluation of material pairings for cold-welding risks.
AAC also contributed to the establishment of the ESA STM-279 cold-welding test method. The method has since been updated by AAC to address new technical requirements.
AAC contribution: Long-term ESA testhouse contractor, independent materials specialist, test-method developer and provider of qualification data for future missions.
Potential cooperation areas: Metallic materials, additive manufacturing, cold welding, stress-corrosion cracking, independent qualification and European material databases.
Opportunities for Cooperation
AAC is interested in cooperation with:
Space companies requiring independent materials, tribology or mechanism testing
Material and coating manufacturers seeking access to the European space market
Mechanism suppliers requiring customised test and qualification campaigns
Product developers looking for application-oriented material solutions
Prime contractors and partners preparing ESA, national or European research projects
Consortia requiring an experienced material developer, test partner or project coordinator
AAC combines materials expertise, specialised testing and application-oriented engineering to turn innovative ideas into verified technologies for future space missions.

3D Printing, 3D Surface Reconstruction, Acoustic Emission (AE), Additive Manufacturing (AM), Adhesive Wear Testing, Advanced Outgassing Testing, Analysis of Broken Parts and Components, Anti-Icing Coatings, Application-Specific Test Development, ASTM E2900 Thermal Vacuum Bake-Out, ASTM E595 Outgassing Testing, Atomic Oxygen Resistance (ATOX/AO), Ball-Bearing Testing, Bearing Lifetime Testing, Bearing Preload Testing, Bearing Testing, Breadboard Testing (BB), Carbon-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Testing (CFRP), Chemical Analysis, Coating Characterisation, Coating Development, Coating Qualification, Coating Testing, Coefficient of Moisture Expansion (CME), Cold-Welding Assessment, Cold-Welding Database, Cold-Welding Testing, Collected Volatile Condensable Material (CVCM), Component Development, Component Qualification, Component Testing, Composite Damage Detection and Quantification, Composite Manufacturing, Composite Process and Health Monitoring, Composite Process Development, Composite Process Monitoring, Composite Process Simulation, Compression Testing, Contact-Angle Measurement, Contamination Assessment, Contamination Monitoring, Corrosion Assessment, Corrosion Testing, Cryo-Tribometer Testing, Cryogenic Mechanical Testing, Cryogenic Propellant Material Testing (LOX/LNG/LH2), Cryogenic Testing, CubeSat Qualification, CubeSat Thermal Vacuum Testing, Damage Analysis, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dimensional Stability Testing, Distributed Fibre-Optic Sensors (DFOS), Draping Simulation, Dry Lubrication, Dynamic Testing, ECSS-Q-ST-70-01C Thermal Vacuum Bake-Out, ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C Outgassing Testing, ECSS-Q-ST-70-04C Thermal Vacuum Cycling, ECSS-Q-TM-70-52A Kinetic Outgassing, Electrical Contact Resistance Testing, Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI), Electro-Tribology, Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), Elemental Analysis, Endurance Testing, Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX/EDS), Engineering Model Testing (EM), Environmental Testing, ESA Materials Testhouse, ESA Standard Test Method 279 (ESA-STM279), Failure Analysis, Fatigue Crack Growth Testing, Fatigue Testing, Finite Element Method Simulation (FEM), Flatness Measurement, Flexural Testing, Flight Hardware Qualification, Flight Model Testing (FM), Focused Ion Beam Analysis (FIB), Forming Tribometer Testing, Fractography, Fracture Toughness Testing, Fretting Testing, Friction Testing, Functional Coatings, Gear Efficiency Testing, Gear Stiffness Testing, Gear Testing, Glass Transition Temperature Determination (Tg), Guided Ultrasonic Waves (GUW), Hardness Testing, High-Cycle Fatigue Testing (HCF), High-Temperature Mechanical Testing, High-Temperature Vacuum Tribometer Testing, Hold-Down-and-Release Mechanism Testing (HDRM), Hot-Press Processing, Hybrid Lubrication, Ice-Adhesion Testing, Impact Testing, In-Situ Cross-Sectioning, In-Situ Mass-Loss Measurement, In-Situ Vacuum Interferometry, Infiltration Simulation, Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Interlaminar Shear Strength Testing (ILSS), Journal-Bearing Testing, Kinetic Outgassing, Knoop Hardness Testing, Laser Interferometry, Layer-Thickness Measurement, Life Testing, Light Microscopy (LM), Liquid Lubrication, Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI), Low-Cycle Fatigue Testing (LCF), Low-Temperature Testing, Lubricant Evaporation Testing, Lubricant Lifetime Assessment, Lubricant Selection, Lubrication Concepts, Lubrication for Space, Magnetic-Brake Testing, Mass Transport in Vacuum, Material and Component Development, Material and Component Testing, Material Characterisation, Material Degradation Assessment, Material Development, Material Failure Analysis, Material Qualification, Material Selection, Material Testing, Materialography, Materials and Processes Qualification (M&P Qualification), Materials for Space, Mechanical Testing, Mechanism Qualification, Mechanism Testing, Metallography, Microhardness Testing, Microscopy, Microstructural Analysis, Mode I and Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness Testing (GIc/GIIc), Moisture Absorption Testing, Moisture Desorption Testing, Molecular Organic Contamination (MOC), Multi-Layer Insulation Materials (MLI), Multiphysics Simulation, No-Load Running Torque Testing (NLRT), Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), One-Stop-Shop Test Campaigns, Optical Surface Reflector Materials (OSR), Outgassing Characterisation, Outgassing Testing, Performance Verification, Phased-Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT), Piezoelectric Sensors, Pin-on-Disc Testing (PoD), Planetary-Gear Testing, Polymer and Composite Dimensional Stability, Post-Test Analysis, Prototype Development, Prototype Testing, Qualification Model Testing (QM), Quality Control, Quasistatic Testing, Radiation-Stable Materials, Re-Entry Simulation, Re-Entry Testing, Recovered Mass Loss (RML), Requirement Analysis, Requirement Specification Document Development (RSD), Research and Development (R&D), Residual Gas Analysis (RGA), Resin Infusion Process Simulation, Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), Root-Cause Analysis (RCA), Roughness Measurement, Sandwich-Panel Testing, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Self-Lubricating Materials, Self-Lubricating Polymers, Shape-Memory-Alloy Simulation (SMA), Shear Testing, Simulation, Slip-Ring Testing, Smart-Material Simulation, Solid Lubrication, Space Lubrication, Space Materials Consulting, Space Tribology, Space-Environment Effects on Materials, Space-Environment Simulation, Spring-In Prediction, Static Structural Simulation, Static Thermal Simulation, Stress Corrosion Cracking Testing (SCC), Structural Component Testing, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Structural Testing, Subcomponent Testing, Surface Analysis, Surface Characterisation, Surface-Energy Measurement, Surface-Treatment Development, Surface-Treatment Selection, Tailored Test Solutions, Technology Maturation, Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Tensile Testing, Test Campaign Planning, Test Equipment Development, Test Facility Development, Test-Method Development, Test-Rig Adaptation, Thermal Analysis, Thermal Control Materials, Thermal Cycling, Thermal Protection System Testing (TPS), Thermal Quartz Crystal Microbalance (TQCM), Thermal Stability Analysis, Thermal Vacuum Bake-Out, Thermal Vacuum Cycling, Thermal Vacuum Testing (TVT/TVAC), Thermo-Mechanical Simulation, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Total Mass Loss (TML), Transmission Accuracy Testing, Tribological Material Selection, Tribological Testing, Tribomaterial Development, Tribomaterials for Space, Tribosystem Analysis, Ultraviolet Accelerated Weathering Testing (UV), Vacuum Bake-Out, Vacuum Tribological Testing, Vacuum Tribology, Vacuum Ultraviolet and Ultraviolet Radiation Resistance (VUV/UV), Verification Campaign Planning, Vickers Hardness Testing, Visual Inspection, Water Vapour Regained (WVR), Waviness Measurement, Wear Testing, Wear-Rate Measurement, WeltRaumKammer / Re-Entry Chamber (WRK), Wet Winding.