LSIWC Scientific Director Uģis Cābulis to Participate in ESA Seminar on Space Technology Development

On 31 March 2026, an information seminar of the European Space Agency (ESA) on the national programme Requesting Party Activities (RPA) will take place in Cēsis at the Space Education Center. The Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis, will also participate in the event.

The aim of the seminar is to present the upcoming RPA call, including its structure, funding opportunities, and principles for proposal preparation. The programme includes information sessions led by ESA experts, covering proposal development and educational activities, as well as presentations by industry representatives. In the second part of the event, individual consultations with ESA and Airbus Defence and Space representatives will take place.

As an Associate Member State of ESA, Latvia benefits from the RPA programme as an important instrument for strengthening national capabilities in the space sector. It provides opportunities to develop new technologies, increase their technology readiness levels, and establish international cooperation.

The participation of Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis reflects LSIWC’s involvement in the development of space technologies. The institute’s expertise in this field has been internationally recognised – in 2025, LSIWC and Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis received the Plastics Industry Awards (UK) in the category Polyurethane Innovation, outperforming two global companies, Covestro and Evonik.

The award was granted for a cryogenic thermal insulation material developed for the protection of fuel tanks of the European launch vehicle Ariane 6 under extreme temperature conditions. The material ensures stability across a wide temperature range (approximately from –253 °C to +180 °C), while maintaining mechanical strength. It has been validated across all technology readiness levels and is already in practical use.

In addition, LSIWC’s expertise was recently presented at the conference “How innovations in aerospace manufacturing can contribute to sustainability and environmental preservation”, organised by the Latvian delegation within the framework of EXPO 2025 Osaka. During the event, Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis delivered a presentation on the impact of the European Green Deal on the development of cryogenic insulation for launch vehicles and civil aviation, highlighting LSIWC’s experience in developing advanced materials in cooperation with the European Space Agency and ArianeGroup.