The launch of the Metalysis–ESA Grand Challenge was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow 2018. It is a competition that awards a cash prize for the accomplishment of a feat. The contest proposes a new R&D project to investigate in-situ resources utilisation; a programme of work on the extraction and production of valuable metals and advanced terrestrial manufacturing technologies that offer potential solutions to enrich the future space economy.

Panellists: Luca del Monte, ESA Head of Industrial Policy and SMEs Division; Dion Vaughan, CEO Metalysis; and Martina Caironi, ESA Grand Challenge ambassador.