8–11 Sept 2026
AEE, CREA Building
UTC timezone

Stratospheric balloon-based laser ablation system for space debris removal

10 Sept 2026, 11:00
12m
AEE, CREA Building

AEE, CREA Building

C. José Galán Merino, 6, Norte, 41015 Sevilla, Spain

Speaker

Fernando Ruiz Vincueria (AICIA/University of Seville)

Description

STRATOLASER is an EIC Pathfinder project led by AICIA/GRVC Robotics Lab together with HiLASE, CLPU, Fraunhofer, B2Space and Sapienza University of Rome. The project develops a stratospheric balloon-based laser architecture for future SSA and active debris mitigation. Operating at ~30 km altitude, above more than 99% of the atmosphere, enables significantly improved laser propagation and reduced atmospheric distortion compared to ground systems, while avoiding the complexity and cost of space-based platforms. A key objective is the first long-range balloon-to-balloon laser ablation demonstration in near-vacuum stratospheric conditions, targeting TRL4 validation of tracking, beam steering and controlled ablation at kilometre-scale distances (2027/28).

Technical Domain 2: GUARANTEE TIMELY AND SUCCESSFUL CLEARANCE

Authors

Prof. Aníbal Ollero (AICIA/University of Seville) Fernando Ruiz Vincueria (AICIA/University of Seville)

Co-authors

Prof. Alessandro Zavoli (Sapienza University of Rome) Dr Ernesto Sánchez Laulhé (AICIA/University of Seville) Ms Estíbaliz Alcalde (B2SPACE) Mr Hongfan Yang (AICIA/University of Seville) Dr Jens Klare (FRAUNHOFER FHR) Mr Jorge Rodríguez Rubio (AICIA/University of Seville) Dr Martin Divoky (HiLASE) Dr Mauricio Rico (Centro de Láseres Pulsados) Mr Víctor Montero (B2SPACE)

Presentation materials

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