Ice2Thrust Participates in the 2nd EIC Pathfinder Portfolio Meeting on In-Space Solar Energy Harvesting
On 27 October 2025, Ice2Thrust.Space participated in the 2nd Pathfinder Portfolio Meeting of WP23: In-Space Solar Energy Harvesting (ISSEH), organised under the European Innovation Council Space Portfolio initiative.
The meeting brought together the nine projects within the WP23 portfolio to review progress, align research priorities, and contribute to the upcoming Strategic Portfolio Plan. Over the past year, the portfolio projects have conducted state-of-the-art analyses, identified research and innovation gaps, and outlined new opportunities in in-space solar energy harvesting.
Ice2Thrust.Space was represented by partners from EnduroSat and the Technical University of Munich, alongside the EIC Programme Manager for Space Systems & Technologies, Stela Tkatchova.
Three Working Groups Driving Innovation
The portfolio is structured around three thematic Working Groups:
WG1 – Solar Cells & PV Testing
Advancing tandem photovoltaic technologies for space, developing improved testing protocols, and assessing lifecycle performance.WG2 – Wireless Power Transmission (WPT)
Exploring high-efficiency materials and devices, beam control strategies, and scalable power transmission concepts.WG3 – In-Space Propulsion
Investigating propellant production and concentration in orbit from stored water, solar thermal propulsion concepts, and compact deployment systems for large flexible structures.
As part of WG3, Ice2Thrust contributes its expertise in water-based propulsion and in-orbit resource utilisation, supporting the broader objective of enabling sustainable, solar-powered space mobility.
Strengthening Synergies and Early Commercialisation Pathways
During the meeting, each project presented its technical progress and recommendations for future R&I priorities. The discussions identified shared objectives, potential multi-project in-orbit demonstration activities, and early commercialisation pathways based on “bottom-up” use cases.
The meeting demonstrated the critical importance of proactive portfolio management and cross-project collaboration in accelerating breakthrough innovation at the European level.
The day concluded with keynote lectures from Prof. Naoki Shinohara (Kyoto University) on the state of the art in space-based wireless power transmission and Ulf Palmnas on venture capital perspectives for seed and Series A investments — connecting research excellence with market realities.
Ice2Thrust.Space looks forward to continuing this collaboration within the EIC ecosystem and to the upcoming In-Space Solar Energy Harvesting panel at Space Tech Expo Europe 2025 on 20 November 2025.
