The SPACECRAFT project addresses critical challenges in Directed Energy Deposition (DED), a transformative Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology for high-value industries such as aerospace, space exploration, and mining. DED offers unique advantages, including the ability to produce large-scale, complex components and repair high-value parts. However, its industrial adoption is hindered by significant barriers: Thermal Distortions: Large-scale builds suffer from distortions that reduce precision, increase post-processing costs, and risk build failures. Limited Multi-Material Capabilities: Current systems struggle with seamless deposition of dissimilar materials, restricting applications requiring advanced material properties. Inadequate Monitoring and Control: Existing systems lack real-time monitoring and adaptive control, leading to inconsistent quality and inefficiencies. Sustainability Issues: Inefficient material usage and limited recycling capabilities increase environmental impacts and costs. Repair Challenges: The absence of standardized repair procedures limits DED’s potential for extending component lifecycles. SPACECRAFT unites a world-class consortium of SMEs, research institutions, end-users, and certification bodies to deliver innovative solutions across the DED value chain. Key advancements include: AI-Driven Thermal Management: Reduces distortions by over 50%, enabling higher precision in large-scale builds. Seamless Multi-Material Deposition: Enables defect-free joining of materials like Inconel 625 and Copper with interfacial defect rates below 1%. Real-Time Monitoring Systems: Achieves defect detection accuracy above 98%, ensuring consistent quality across long-duration builds. Sustainable Material Recycling: Captures and reprocesses unused powder with recovery rates exceeding 90%, reducing waste by over 40%. Digital Frameworks for Traceability: Provides real-time data integration and lifecycle management for enhanced process control. These innovations will culminate in a next-generation DED system capable of deposition speeds up to 100 m/min, validated through industrial applications such as rocket nozzle manufacturing (SAB Aerospace) and mining equipment repair (Weir Group). By addressing current technological gaps, SPACECRAFT will reduce manufacturing costs by 20%, extend component lifecycles by 30%, and open new markets for advanced DED technologies. The project’s impact extends beyond technological innovation. It supports global sustainability goals by reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency while driving economic growth through job creation and enhanced competitiveness in European manufacturing. SPACECRAFT positions Europe as a leader in sustainable additive manufacturing technologies, fostering collaboration across borders to deliver transformative solutions for high-value industries.