Materials

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced a strategic investment in Arceon following the inaugural Blue Magic Netherlands event in November 2024. Arceon becomes the third Dutch startup backed by GA-ASI through the BMN initiative, alongside Emergent Swarm Solutions and Saluqi Motors. The investment provides Arceon with direct entry into the US defense sector, with GA-ASI citing potential applications in high-temperature engine exhaust, hypersonic platforms, and fusion containment.

Four Carbeon C/C-SiC ceramic matrix composite samples from Arceon were launched to the ISS aboard NASA SpaceX CRS-31 in November 2024, attached to the Bartolomeo external platform on the Columbus Module. Materials will be exposed to the full space environment — radiation, thermal extremes, vacuum, and debris — for at least 6 months to benchmark ground test results against real LEO aging. First time the material has been tested in open space.