Transfer Demonstrator projects support the transfer of space technology to terrestrial applications where there is a strong commercial or societal benefit and there is a clear technical risk that can be eliminated. These projects result in the development and testing of new hardware and software which increase the likelihood of the core technology being transferred from space to ground.

Transfer Demonstrator projects are to support the advancement of technologies that have a high space Technology Readiness Level (TRL) but a lower TRL for ground based commercial applications.

A Transfer Demonstrator project will result in the measurement of one or more technical features that are specific to the terrestrial application of a technology that was hitherto developed for space. ESA Transfer Demonstrator projects will not be considered to fund prototypes, i.e. working models of new products, but for developments at an earlier and higher stage of technical risk. Note also that while a Transfer Demonstrator may involve the construction of a breadboard (if the integration of a system/subsystem is regarded as the principal technical risk), the construction of a breadboard is not a requirement for a Transfer Demonstrator project.

The limited amount of funding available per project (€40k) means that projects must be efficiently managed with a clear definition of the technical risk to be tackled. Priority is given to projects where there is a clear ground based commercial application with a customer group with defined needs, and for whom the transfer demonstrator may be used to gain commercial traction.

The first call for Transfer Demonstrator Projects was issued by the ESA Technology Transfer Programme Office in 2009 and the second in 2011. The next call will be issued in 2012 at a date to be defined. If you wish to be notified when the next call is issued you may contact the ESA Technology Transfer Broker in your respective country or contact callum.norrie@esa.int.