The key-objective of the FALCon-project is raising the TRL of the advanced RLV-stage return mode using the “in-air-capturing”-procedure from currently at approximately 3 at least beyond 4, approaching a TRL of 5. This ambitious goal can be reached by successfully addressing the following subtasks: 1. In-flight demonstration of “in-air-capturing/mid-air-retrieval”-technologies with subscale vehicles while as far as possible approaching the relevant flight environment and conditions. 2. Developing the necessary sensors and integrating their data and software to be used in-flight for an autonomous successful and rapid connection of the two stages. 3. Establishing an accurate 6DOF-simulation environment both for the planned flight tests as well as for the future full-scale “in-air-capturing”-application. 4. A sound assessment of the in-air-capturing”-launch cost reduction potential by identifying suitable large-scale capturing aircraft and evaluating the necessary modification effort considering regulatory issues. 5. Studying in parallel alternative RLV-return modes under similar assumptions for reliable assessment of the potential benefits. 6. Proposing a European development roadmap, first up to TRL of 6 and then estimating the effort for reaching the full-scale operational system with TRL of 9. This task is to be iterated jointly with the European stakeholders in agencies and industry.

The ATTILA project is aimed at the design, manufacture and testing of an advanced testbed for aeroelastic wind tunnel testing of tiltrotor aircraft. The testbed will consist of a suitably instrumented aeroelastically scaled cantilevered half-wing with powered nacelle-proprotor system representative of the full-scale NGCTR-TD design. Advanced fiber optic sensor and contactless rotating power and data transfer techniques will be used. The design process, coupled with test iterations, is supported by detailed structural and aeroelastic simulations using a range of complementary codes. The ATTILA testbed will first be subjected to a wind-on shakedown test in the DNW LLF 6x6m test section in Froude scaled conditions. After the system functionality and structural dynamic characteristics have been verified, a second data gathering test will be performed in the NASA TDT heavy-gas transonic dynamics wind tunnel in simultaneous Froude and Mach scaled conditions, selected as subcontractor to NLR for its unique worldwide capability of meeting the full test requirements in terms of aeroelastic scaling capability, test Mach number, and model size. Testing will be performed in three mass/stiffness configurations covering 3x25 test points with test speeds up to the NGCTR-TD whirl flutter speed (at least M = 0.56). The proposed test campaign provides the highest possible fidelity experimental demonstration of the whirl flutter characteristics of the NGCTR-TD prior to high-speed flight testing in 2024-2025. Its productivity and safety will be ensured through the introduction of real-time modal damping analysis. The post-test data analysis phase includes a test-to-code correlation study in which the analytical models derived by the consortium are validated against the test results. Engaging a significant subcontractor (NASA), this 54-months €6,525,261 valued action is composed of 2 research centres (NLR, DLR), 1 non-profit foundation (DNW), 1 university (POLIMI) and 1 SME (Technobis).

Massive-scale data acquisition and information processing for large infrastructures, such as smart grids, smart transportation or smart industry, underpins the emerging fourth industrial revolution. 5G mobile networks and mobile edge computing (MEC) will provide communication and computation platform for such intelligent infrastructures to become a reality. Recognizing the need for expertise and leadership in this domain, with onward looking goal to support rapidly growing regional ICT sector, Faculty of Technical Sciences of the University of Novi Sad (Serbia) established the Centre for intelligent COmmunications, Networking and Information proCessing (ICONIC). ICONIC collects strong research team with a vision to become regional hotspot for 5G research and innovation, focusing on massive Machine-Type Communications, Large-Scale Distributed Information Processing, and Reconfigurable Hardware Design. INCOMING project (Innovation and excellence in massive-scale COMunications and information processING) lays out ambitious research-intensive and innovation-oriented plan to make the ICONIC centre regional 5G lighthouse by twinning it with Aalborg University (Denmark), Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) and German Aerospace Centre (Germany). INCOMING will use staff exchanges, expert trainings, summer schools and workshops to boost the research excellence of ICONIC staff members focusing on ESRs. The twinning program will gradually shift focus from research to innovation-driven implementation of the promising research outcomes. As part of the project, ICONIC will set up 5G Innovation and Technology Hub (5G-IT-Hub) as an interface towards the regional ICT sector, bridging high-quality ICONIC research with thriving regional ICT innovation scene. With the help of EU partners, INCOMING will put the ICONIC centre on the European map of emerging research-intensive 5G centres, while via 5G-IT-Hub, ICONIC will become integral part of regional ICT innovation activites.

CICONIA’s ambition is to improve the understanding of non-CO2 emissions with regards to the current aircraft/engine technologies and operating fleet, as well as their evolution and their climate effects, but with the clear objective to evaluate and develop impact reduction solutions covering several promising mitigation options on flight operations, through the definition of innovative dedicated Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and their assessment in comparison to legacy operations. CICONIA wants to define and assess CONOPS solutions with engagement from all concerned stakeholders: Airlines with their OCC, Network, Met providers and Air Traffic Control. CICONIA mitigation options will offer the best proposal for reduction in climate impacts, taking into account both, the CO2 and non-CO2 climate effects. A TRL4 is targeted at the end of the 3 years project. CICONIA is composed of the four main topics: 1. A weather service that will improve weather forecasting capabilities tailored for operational mitigation concepts, provide technical enablers definition and recommendation for long term improvement that will feed a better understanding of the stakes; 2. A climate enabler that will improve climate impact assessment and models tailored for operational mitigation concepts; 3. CONOPS strategies definition: CICONIA proposes to further analyse how operational stakeholders could integrate mitigations in their plan or in their tactical operations to mitigate climate impacts. A climate enhanced operations CONOPS will be delivered and assessed with representative fast time simulation platforms, integrating weather and climate models, enabling the evaluation of a large area and long time period. These simulations will support the assessment of the complete picture from climate, economics and operational impact points of view, conducting trades on different assumptions, understanding their impact on the decision making and finally providing guidance; 4. An ATM mitigation solution through trials: Investigate multiple ATM strategies for flights to minimise or avoid persistent warming contrails, through operational trials and data analysis. This solution will focus on reducing the climate impact of non-CO2 components, specifically by minimising crossings of persistent, highly warming contrails from aircraft in oceanic airspace. CICONIA aims as well at providing material to Authorities and Regulators, to analyse the appropriate rulemaking that could serve a fair and uniformed framework to minimise non-CO2 climate effects in a global environmental centric approach addressing as well CO2. Regulations aimed at mitigating non-CO2 effects through operational measures should be proven effective from a climate benefit standpoint, fair from an economic impact on the operator's standpoint, and operationally feasible/acceptable/manageable. An Advisory Board will federate external organisations who want to take part in the CICONIA results.