Caracol Secures ESA Grant to Lead Space-Focused Additive Manufacturing Project

Caracol has been awarded a competitive grant by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead a new research initiative focused on large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) for off-Earth applications.

The project, titled AIMIS LFAM (AI-Based Monitoring of Large Robotic Format Additive Manufacturing in Space), is a collaboration between Caracol, Politecnico di Milano, and OBO Space. It is funded under ESA’s “Assessments to Prepare and De-Risk Technology Developments” programme, which supports early-stage evaluation of technologies with high potential for future space missions.

AIMIS LFAM will investigate the development of advanced LFAM systems that combine robotic composite polymer extrusion with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The goal is to create self-monitoring, autonomous production platforms capable of operating in space and other extreme environments.

The project builds on Caracol’s significant investments in research and development across hardware, software, and automation. The company’s multidisciplinary R&D teams have been pushing the boundaries of LFAM technology to deliver platforms that meet the highest standards of industrial repeatability, reliability, and production quality — core pillars that define the Heron AM system and its expanding range of applications.

This latest award strengthens Caracol’s position as a leader in large-format robotic additive manufacturing and continues its long-standing collaboration with ESA. The project contributes directly to enabling autonomous, sustainable manufacturing in orbit and on extraterrestrial surfaces — aligning with Caracol’s broader mission to redefine the future of industrial production on Earth and beyond.