Meet the Ice2Thrust partners: Technical University of Munich
Please briefly introduce yourself and tell us more about your current position?
My name is Tom Mrazek, I am a PhD candidate at the Chair of Space Propulsoin and Mobilty at TU Munich, as well as the Ice2Thrust Portfolio Manager. As part of my PhD, I am developing an attitude control system and orbital refilling interface, which will facilitate in-orbit refilling and servicing for Water Electrolysis Propulsion (WEP) spacecraft. In a Portfolio Manager role, I research how Ice2Thrust can engage with and enrich the wide body of research under the European Innovation Council (EIC) umbrella and the EU’s space portfolio as a whole.
Are there any exciting programs, partnerships or research initiatives that we should keep an eye on?
The Ice2Thrust team at TUM is working on topics ranging from advanced thruster cooling, in-space electrolysis, and fine in-orbit spacecraft control. Keep an eye out for us in journals on space propulsion and astronautical conferences like the IAC, we have lots of research in the pipeline!
What recent innovations or breakthroughs are you most excited about, and how are they shaping the future of research and education?
There are quite a few very exciting technologies being pushed to market right now. Metal additive manufacturing is becoming both affordable and competitive for space applications. The continuous increase in compute accessibility, on the other hand, is playing a big role in making producing viable designs more accessible, even to undergraduate students.
What’s the long-term vision for the team, and in terms of innovation, how far do you believe you can push the boundaries of cutting-edge research of research and education?
Our vision is clear, we want to see a Water Electrolysis Propulsion system fly! And not only that, we are hoping to prove WEP can form the foundation of a self-sustaining market by extending spacecraft lifetimes and enabling new ambitious missions.
What advice would you give to students and researchers who aspire to contribute to transformative innovation?
The space industry is a very conservative one, but this also breeds ground for opportunity. We have repeatedly seen decades-long status quo can change practically overnight, and things previously deemed impossible become routine. If your idea is sound, believe in it and pitch it to others – we always need more ambitious souls that believe in what they do.
What are your thoughts on the Ice2Thrust project? How do you see this partnership fostering innovation and creating opportunities for TUM’s students and researchers?
We cherish the opportunity to learn from partners, both academic and industrial. Being part of an interdisciplinary project is especially valuable, and we can already see how this opens new horizons not just to researchers, but students as well. In fact, getting to know each other at every organizational level is something we see a lot of benefit in.
Ice2Thrust.Space (S4I2T) is an EU-funded project [GA number 101161690]. The information and views set out in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.