Our Mission & Network

Our Mission

The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein aims to harness the full potential of the New Space Economy for the region and whole Europe, together with its national and international partners. The strategic goals of the Center are aligned with the government council decision on space as a cantonal flagship with economically sustainable impact, and the synthesis report from the federal government, canton, and municipalities about the area development of Dübendorf Airfield. These decisions have long time horizons spanning decades.
The Goals are:
  • Access to the Space Economy for research institutions and industry in Europe and beyond
  • Excellent space-related research, technology, and innovation
  • Systematic partnerships between science and industry
  • (Logistics) support for space-related activities for large and SM enterprises

These strategic goals will be implemented as follows:

  1. 1
    Establishment of a Civil Research Flight Facility at the Dübendorf airfield as a central hub for research and development in aviation and space and as the nucleus for a commercial trade and logistics hub.
  2. 2
    Establishment of multidisciplinary training and continuing education in the field of "Space"
  3. 3
    Innovative research in aviation and space for society and the economy
  4. 4
    Partnerships with the global space industry and the New Space Stations
  5. 5
    Establishment of a ground segment for the (European) New Space Economy

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

  • 3

Civil Research Flight Facility

  • Establishment of a Civil Research Flight Facility at the Dübendorf airfield as a central hub for research and development in aviation and space and as the nucleus for a commercial trade and logistics hub:
  • Swiss Parabolic Flight Program with research aircraft such as Airbus A310 (Novespace, France), Cessna Citation II (NLR, Netherlands), and other aircraft
  • Research flights with small aircraft (e.g., for Earth and atmospheric observation)
  • Research flights in the field of Green Aviation (e.g., in the EU project DYN-MARS, Dynamic Management of Aircraft Configuration and Route Structures)
  • Flight tests for instruments, components, or subsystems for space travel, aerospace applications, space manufacturing and R&D
  • Research flights on the field of human performance in aviation
  • In a forthcoming expansion phase, the Civil Research Flight Facility of the Center could collaborate with companies responsible for the New Space Stations and conduct comprehensive research and testing program for those technologies, applications, and processes later used orbitally on the New Space Stations (e.g., production devices and machines, bioreactors, instruments for control and quality assurance, manual processes in microgravity).

Network

Our mission is to create a fully integrated space ecosystem. Together with our partners, particularly in the United States, we are establishing a strong research- and development-driven consortium that connects leading institutions across disciplines and borders.

The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with:

  • Starlab Space
  • Space Florida
  • Voyager Technologies Institute for Space, Technology and Advancement (VISTA)
  • University of Florida and its Astraeus Space Institute, the In-Space Biomanufacturing Innovation Hub (In-Space Bio Hub) and the Center for Science, Technology and Advanced Research in Space (C-STARS)

Through our partnerships we are building bridges between countries and continents, advancing trade, R&D, talent, and technology.