STRAYPROTECT Launches Breakthrough Nanotech For Aerospace And Defence

Luxembourg-based startup STRAYPROTECT is making waves in deep tech with the launch of a groundbreaking nanotechnology designed to enhance the performance of optical systems in aerospace, defense, and scientific applications.

Source : siliconluxembourg.lu
Publication date : 05/14/2025

A spin-off from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), STRAYPROTECT has developed a super-black coating that absorbs 99.4% of light, using advanced carbon nanostructures. These coatings act like a “light sponge,” eliminating unwanted reflections that can distort sensitive data in devices such as telescopes, imaging systems, and sensors.

To grasp the scale: a nanostructure operates at the billionth of a meter level—about 80,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. STRAYPROTECT’s proprietary formulation uses carbon nanotubes and cermets, applied through a gas-phase synthesis process that allows for integration onto complex-shaped components.

According to Nicolas Boscher, Group Leader of Plasma and Vapor Deposition Processes at LIST, the startup has developed two distinct coating architectures that are compatible with a wide range of substrates including silicon microchips, quartz, copper, and aluminium.

The technology originated from a request by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) for a European-made solution to address light interference in optical instruments. STRAYPROTECT’s coatings have now reached Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5), confirming their functionality in real-world conditions.

The company emerged from LIST’s internal venture program, LIST Ventures, becoming the institute’s 12th official spin-off. Its progress reflects Luxembourg’s broader push into the space-tech arena.

Luxembourg has been actively building its NewSpace ecosystem since the launch of satellite giant SES in the 1980s. In 2018, the government established the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) to accelerate private-sector innovation. Through initiatives like LuxIMPULSE and strategic partnerships with ESA, the country now supports hundreds of space-focused startups and research institutions.

Jess Bauldry

www.siliconluxembourg.lu/strayprotect-launches-breakthrough-nanotech-for-aerospace-and-defence/