CRYOSTAR is an ambitious research and innovation action (RIA) addressing one of the main challenges of the aerospace energy transition: the safe storage of liquid hydrogen on board. The activities amount to just over €5 million, fully funded by non-repayable grants, with a share of €726 875 allocated to Mare Group, of which 50% is expected to be advanced by 2025. The objective is to integrate tanks within the rear fuselage of CS-25 aircraft to ensure containment, impact resistance, and compliance with future regulatory requirements.
Mare Group is one of the main industrial partners in the project and will be responsible for the development and validation of structural systems and containment devices capable of absorbing impact loads and preserving tank integrity in emergency scenarios, through full-scale testing, advanced numerical simulations, and direct interaction with international aeronautical authorities.
The CRYOSTAR consortium involves 5 universities and research centres and 8 high-tech companies, in a multidisciplinary collaboration that integrates engineering, academic, and regulatory expertise at the continental level.
Antonio Maria Zinno, CEO of Mare Group, commented: “Working on standards and technologies enabling the adoption of hydrogen in a strategic sector, such as aviation, strengthens Europe’s technological autonomy in a highly complex field. This is a path that Mare Group pursues through the development of mission-critical projects and active participation in major European innovation networks.”
Luigi Di Palma, General Manager, added: “The adoption of hydrogen in aeronautics is driving growing demand for high-value engineering solutions and large scale integration capabilities. Due to recent acquisitions, Mare Group has strengthened its design and production capacity, positioning itself as a partner of choice for the main industrial players leading this transformation. The expertise and technologies developed in this field are expected to have an impact in other sectors facing similar challenges in terms of safety, efficiency, and energy transition.”
The project is part of Mare Group’s strategic plan focused on the development of advanced technologies in the infrastructure and aerospace sectors, further strengthening the group’s role in major European innovation programmes.