HiRACOS (High Rate Aerospace Composite Optimised Structures) addresses the challenge of high-rate composite technologies for Aerospace to allow the rate increase in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Narrowbody markets. These technologies will then be applied in two technology demonstrators, i.e., an AAM composite rotor blade and a composite nose wheel for the Next Generation Single Aisle (NGSA). HiRACOS will addresses four key technologies highlighted by the ATI Destination Zero Roadmap, that is, "High rate composites, adaptable tooling, deposition, cure, and inspection", "Design optimisation for NNS and net shape technologies, optimised material utilisation", "High efficiency, low noise propeller systems" and "Next-gen low weight and cost sustainable landing systems". Carbon ThreeSixty (CTS), Syensqo, the National Composites Centre (NCC) and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) will develop an overarching high-rate composite technology that includes novel material systems from Syensqo and processes like TFP, braiding, core, preforming and stabilisation methods, Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), Prepreg Compression Moulding (PCM) and post-moulding methods. These technologies will be supported by reliable digital models and validated through mechanical testing and advanced composite inspection. Additionally, CTS and Syesnqo (with the consortium) will deliver an AAM composite rotor blade where the developed technologies can be applied. HiRACOS will deliver a composite rotor blade with a 15 minute takt time and that is 58% cheaper than established competitors. This technology will be ready to enter the market in 2030\. In addition to the rotor blade developments, CTS (with the consortium) will deliver a composite nose wheel for the NGSA. HiRACOS targets to deliver a composite nose wheel with a 100 minute takt time, 25% lighter and with a similar price point to current alloy ones. This technology will be ready to enter the market in 2035 in line with the NGSA EIS. Current structural aerospace composites are manufactured with technologies and materials that are challenging for scaling-up, still produce considerable waste during manufacturing, are labour intensive and, ultimately, conduct to cost prohibitive components. To fight these challenges, the aerospace industry has the need to evolve from current "blackmetal" approach to optimised designs, invest on lower cost materials and processes and adopt manufacturing processes that are cost-effective, viable at high-volumes and produce near-zero waste. HiRACOS will be a key project to support the aerospace industry in this transition.

New sustainable innovations are necessary to meet the evolving and critical needs of Co2e reduction targets for the aerospace sector and to deliver costs that remain competitive, maintain and grow capability and onshore work to the UK. Manufacturing carbon composite airframe structure today demands a high level of manual labour involving many separate components with numerous steps based upon traditional laminate design theory. ASPIRE will develop the next step in composite airframe performance which will require a special focus on quality assurance throughout the process flow and supply chain and deliver lower weight airframe to support increased weight electric and hydrogen propulsion systems. As a leading tier 1 supplier of current state of the art wing and movable structures GKN Aerospace provides airframe products, such as flaps and leading & trailing edge devices and has a strong presence in the UK on a range of aircraft, from large civil aircraft to business jets and UAM airframes. The ASPIRE project addresses two key GKN Aerospace products which require sustainable approaches; **single aisle control surface** and a **high aspect wing ratio wing tip** for next generation large civil airframe. **Optimisation of composite products** with feasibility studies and demonstration of aero elastic tailored products and light weighting development through the use of non-standard fibre orientations with an assessment on post buckling performance. Targeting light weighting and sustainable manufacturing technologies and in service cost reduction in collaboration with Bath University which extends the GKN Bath Chair relationship. Key innovation opportunities are in representative and quantifiable airframe product validation of **tow shearing deposition technologies** aimed at reduced weight airframes with the ICOMAT team. Sustainable manufacture will be driven and quantified with the inclusion of Pentaxia **JOULETOOL** capability to deliver significant energy reduction over traditional autoclave curing methods and the reuse of specific to aerospace materials for dry fibre noodle applications and uncured pre-preg material for tertiary structure with CarbonThreeSixty and LINEAT partner developments. Combined with key activity on **cross-cutting optimised manufacturing** from the UK automotive sector will enable lower weight structures with improved aerodynamics at lower cost. ASPIRE targets global market worth more than £43Bn. Upon success and adoption, it will facilitate * Increase in UK Single Aisle market share * Deliver significant workforce capability increase to support 2050 net zero goals

**M-LightEn** (Monocoque Architecture -- Lightweight and Low Embedded Energy) is an industrial research project between the Gordon Murray Group, Constellium UK, Brunel University and Carbon ThreeSixty for the development and 'productionisation' of a ultra-lightweight low CO2 footprint monocoque architecture for future vehicles. It develops new lightweight circular materials, new manufacturing processes with reduced energy and minimum waste, and new collaborative digital optimisation tools that focus as much on CO2 as on the performance/weight ratio. It provides the building blocks for a generation of significantly more sustainable vehicles while increasing UK economic activity and highly skilled employment.

SCALE-UP addresses the challenge of high-volume sustainable lightweighting in Battery electric Vehicle using composite materials and delivering four innovations. *  A lighter, sustainable/lower-CO2e, affordable door, as alternative to aluminium benchmark, anticipating future legislation and decarbonisation of aluminium. * A high-volume, affordable, sustainable carbon fibre wheel breaking the ceiling of state-of-art production volume through deployment of innovative design and manufacturing process. * Production scale-up of high-performance recycled carbon fibre materials to allow mass production of recycled carbon fibre composite retaining up to 90% of the original performance. * Digital tools using new modelling methods predicting the feasibility, performance and quality of the final products.

Rotor blades and propellers are an established means of providing lift/propulsion for various aircraft types. As the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) market expands, the demand for lightweight rotor blades is predicted to increase exponentially, particularly for use on a new breed of e-VTOL full electric urban & sub-regional based vertical take off and landing aircraft. HALOS (Highly Automated, Lightweight, Optimised & Scalable) Rotor Blade seeks to demonstrate a highly scalable and low cost manufacturing methodology for future rotor blades that will be capable of meeting the forecasted demand from the sector. The existing supply chain for composite propellers and rotor blades is not presently capable of meeting the requirements of AAM, predominantly due to the volume requirements which are driven both by higher numbers of aircraft (due to lower complexity and cost) and also the number of blades required per aircraft. The design requirements of AAM, such as a mix of VTOL and forward flight, multiple rotors with low disk loading, short flight duration and low noise do require a different style of blade. There is therefore a need for a new approach and manufacturing methodology to meet the requirements of this new market and breed of aircraft, meeting aerospace standards but with volume and cost requirements more akin to that seen in the automotive industry. HALOS Rotor Blade brings together an agile, high growth SME (Carbon ThreeSixty) with the facilities and expertise of the NCC to address the above requirements through an innovative design and collection of manufacturing technologies which combine high performance with low cost and volume scalability and is supported by several large aerospace manufacturers.

Magnomatics will design, build and test lightweight propulsion motors suitable for the rapidly growing urban aero mobility sector. These motors will be based upon Magnomatics' patented Pseudo Direct Drive (PDD(r)) technology. The technology has been identified by NASA as being "roughly two times greater than the specific torque expected of a direct drive electric motor for the same application". These motors will be tested to demonstrate performance. Two motors will be placed on endurance running to prove the technology (beyond this project) and an additional motor will be available for loan to customers.

GTTC-Wheel will see Carbon ThreeSixty, in partnership with the National Composites Centre and in collaboration with Leonardo Helicopters, leverage their combined expertise to design, develop, characterise and manufacture a revolutionary, ultra-low mass proof of concept CFRP wheel for rotorcraft applications. This includes developing the optimum route-to-market and further quantifying the prospective business opportunity arising from the disruptive innovation in a rapidly growing sector of the aerospace market.