It has just been officially announced, bamboo is taking off for the moon. It is now the turn of the space industry to adopt and integrate bio-based composites. We’ve witnessed an increasing demand from this sector following the pollution peaks caused by satellite debris and the problems associated with their re-entry into the atmosphere when they hit the Earth’s crust.

In addition to the very positive environmental impact of our bamboo alternatives, which are receiving a great deal of interest from the space industry, the technical features of our reinforcements provide real solutions to major problems. For the space industry, the specific features and technical properties of our innovations represent major advantages.

To take things a step further, a number of well-known companies are members of the Advisory Board of the BAMCO-2 project (see our article), which has already led to a number of developments, followed by new ones that are currently underway. At the 16th ISME (International Symposium on Materials in the Space Environment) and the 14th ICPMSE (International Conference on Protection of Materials and Structures in the Space Environment), organised by the ONERA (Office national d’études et de recherches aérospatiales) and the ITL (Integrity Testing Laboratory) with the CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) and the ESA (European Space Industry), our customer and partner AIRBUS DEFENSE & SPACE announced the existence of the BAMBOOSAT project.

BAMBOOSAT is a project initiated and supported by AIRBUS D&S. Its aim is to meet very specific requirements in order to achieve important objectives in this technological sector of excellence. Cobratex is actively collaborating with several partners to combine and create unique innovations: CompPair, which offers thermosetting resins with the ability to self-repair, and SpaceDOTS, which offers test and characterisation solutions in Orbit.

At its latest event, AIRBUS D&S officially announced that Cobratex bamboo-reinforced composite parts (our new ‘HD’ range) have passed all space tests and have been integrated into a Moon rover. This scientific robot, a jewel of advanced technologies, will soon be setting off for the moon.

At the 12th World Bamboo Congress (see our article), held in Taiwan last April, Cobratex’ CEO Edouard Sherwood said in a speech: “Cobratex is going to give bamboo the chance to go into space…”. This dream is coming true faster than he had expected, and taking on a new dimension. Bamboo, the plant that has been the focus of our attention since the creation of Cobratex, will be making contact with the Moon’s surface. This event was received with great emotion and satisfaction by the entire Cobratex team, who is determined to go even further.

We would like to thank the entire value chain and all those involved in the space industry who have helped to make this groundbreaking event possible – a first – sending Cobratex reinforced composite parts into space !