Developed by scientists from Łukasiewicz – Łódź Institute of Technology, the EkoMush Composite project, a lightweight and environmentally friendly construction material, won the main prize in the competition “Space.Connect – Space Technologies” 2025, supported by the European Space Agency.
The competition evaluated innovative technologies that can be used not only on Earth, but also in outer space. The final took place in Kraków during the Space Connect MeetUp event. The projects were evaluated by a jury composed of representatives from the space, science, and industrial branches. The technology developed by scientists from Łódź took first place.
“The main prize in this competition is a great honour for us and a proof that such projects are needed. We hope that the Space Connect competition will open the door to the space sector for us, as there are many applications for our material in this area and we see enormous potential in it,” explains Katarzyna Miśkiewicz, one of the leaders of the EkoMush project.
Why exactly EkoMush? Because the new composite created at Łukasiewicz – Łódź Institute of Technology is in line with the principles of the circular economy, making it a doubly eco-friendly product – both in terms of its composition and its potential to reduce waste. It has good insulating properties and high durability. It is made from natural materials and has the potential to replace not readily biodegradable materials in many industries, including the space sector. They are an eco-friendly alternative to materials such as polystyrene foam and MDF.
The EkoMush project is being carried out by a team of scientists from the Centre for Textile Technology, Footwear, and Bioprocesses, consisting of the following: Katarzyna Ławińska PhD, DSc Eng., Katarzyna Miśkiewicz Mag., Dorota Gendaszewska DEng, Magdalena Lasoń-Rydel M. Sc.(Eng), Iwona Masłowska-Lipowicz DEng, Katarzyna Zacharska, and Andrzej Rostocki Mag.
