Zoppas Industries Heating Element Technologies (ZIHET) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-reliability electric heating solutions.

Since 1992, through IRCA S.p.A., the company has specialized in the design and production of space-grade flexible heaters, all proudly engineered and manufactured in Italy.

Core competencies and ESA certifications

Our flight-proven products are fully qualified according to European Space Agency (ESA) standards, ensuring mission-critical reliability:

• ESCC 4009/002: Flexible heaters (Polyimide+FEP bonding).
• ESCC 4009/004: Flexible heaters (Polyimide+Acrylic bonding).

Applications in the Space industry

Our heaters are widely used onboard vehicles, satellites and pressurized modules, and on ground support structures as well, for thermal management of different parts and Systems:

• Propulsion System of satellites and launchers (to keep propellants at the correct temperature and to support thruster startup)
• Power System (to allow battery operation at low temperatures)
• Structure (to maintain nearby electronic equipment within the correct operative temperature range)
• AOCS (Attitude and Orbit Control System) and Payloads (to avoid thermal gradients on optical elements)
• Thermal Control System (to prevent coolant fluids’ freezing and support thermal control loops dynamics)
• Onboard Mechanisms (to guarantee fluidity of lubricants)
• Ground testing facilities and On-Ground Antennas

Why partnering with ZIHET?

With over 60 years of experience and a workforce of 8,000 employees across 15 production sites and a global engineering footprint, ZIHET acts as a strategic partner collaborating closely with customers to balance complex technical constraints with high-performance requirements.

Our focus on innovation and sustainability ensures energy-efficient, custom-engineered solutions tailored to specific mission constraints. We combine heritage reliability with a forward-thinking approach to smart heating technologies.

Our role as a global strategic partner is built on excellence, featuring ESA-certified production processes and a versatile portfolio designed to meet the most complex mission requirements.

Our success is reflected in our extensive track record and updated performance metrics in the Space market:

• 150+ International Space Programs
• 1,000+ Satellites Worldwide
• 20,000+ Products Supplied Annually

For more information, please contact our Space engineering team for a custom design: [email protected]