The THREAD project (Thermite Reactions Assisting Satellite Demise), funded under HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDER, addresses a growing challenge in the space sector: the increasing number of decommissioned satellites that re-enter Earth's atmosphere without fully burning up, posing potential safety and environmental risks on ground.

It is the first EU-funded initiative aiming to introduce the Thermite-for-Demise (T4D) concept directly into satellite design and manufacturing.

The core idea is to use localized exothermic reactions to support the controlled disintegration of satellites during re-entry. This goal will be achieved by embedding small, non-explosive thermite charges, made of metal and metal oxide, at critical structural points within the satellite. These charges are designed to activate autonomously, without external input, generating intense heat in targeted areas and promoting structural breakup, even when the satellite is no longer operational. The final goal is to minimize the risks of debris reaching the ground and improve the overall safety. 

THREAD aims to validate T4D technology through material development, wind tunnel testing, and cost-benefit analysis, paving the way for safer and more sustainable satellite disposal within the evolving space economy.

The project is coordinated by Politecnico di Milano  (Aerospace Science and Technology Dept.).

The Work Package 4 focuses on the environmental stress testing. It investigates how thermite materials, their fundamental components, and integrated thermite-based systems respond to the stresses experienced throughout the satellite’s lifetime, from launch conditions to activation during atmospheric re-entry.

Image credits: Politecnico di Milano Team 

 

 

 

 

More information on THREAD can be found at the following links:

www.thread-eic.eu

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101186901

 

Funded by the European Union through the European Innovation Council (EIC) within the THREAD project (Grant Agreement ID: 101186901). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Innovation Council (EIC). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.