During the strategy period through to 2025, we are laying important foundations for achieving the climate targets set by the European Green Deal and ACARE, we are supporting the Ministry of Defence in the Netherlands in the initial implementation steps of its vision for 2035, and we are standing shoulder to
shoulder with the aerospace sector to come out of the coronavirus pandemic in a stronger position. In this report, we analyse how society is expected to develop, what technology will be on the rise and what that means for aerospace. Additionally, we refl ect on our own performance during the previous period.
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18 September 2026
Booklet: Composites Research and Development
A key objective for more efficient and sustainable aircraft is to make lightweight, durable and affordable parts which are designed for ease of maintenance. To be allowed to use parts made of new materials like composite and metal additive printed components in an industry like aviation, all of the materials must be accompanied by the right certification. NLR takes care of the entire process, from calculation and design all the way through to manufacturing, repair and certification. NLR assesses material properties, develops structural concepts and manufacturing technologies, designs components and builds parts up to the level of full scale prototypes. Spanning the entire spectrum of product development is what makes NLR unique.
18 September 2026
Booklet: R&D More electric and hydrogen-electric powered aerospace
Hydrogen as a fuel is considered to be an important route towards future sustainable aviation. For aviation
applications, hydrogen presents several key advantages: it allows for the elimination of carbon emissions in
flight and along the entire life cycle. Its usage in fuel cells allows eliminating NOx and particles. When burnt
in a turbine engine, very low particle emissions can be expected, as well as reduced NOx emissions, provided that the combustion system is optimised. However, water vapour emissions need to be carefully managed.
18 September 2026
Booklet: Overview space capabilities
Royal NLR works closely with industry and government to design satellites, payloads and launchers systems, as well as subsystems, such as thermal control systems, electronics and antennas. We also invest in state-of-the-art facilities to accelerate our research and develop new space capabilities by leveraging our expertise in aerospace-qualified lightweight composite structures, multi-metal additive manufacturing, and the effective use of Earth observation and satellite navigation data for both civil and military applications.