Achievements and status: 

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are indispensable for data transmission within modern data centers and pervade multiple application spheres traditionally limited to bulk optics, such as LiDAR and biosensing. Recent advances in thin film Lithium Niobate (LNOI) have shown the major potential of LNOI integrated photonic circuits, which exhibit strong Pockels effect enabling ultrafast and efficient electro-optical modulation but are difficult to process via dry etching.

The Unified Space Link Protocol (USLP) is currently a Draft CCSDS Recommended Standard at the Data Link Layer to be used over all space communications links: space-to-ground, ground-to-space, and space-to-space. The Space Communication environment has changed over the past few years putting increased pressure on current legacy HW implementations (ESA long standing robust IP cores and ASICs) and operational data handling and routing.

The activities executed within the project NoTank - NOvel composite propulsion TANK architecture for small satellites aimed at maximising space use for the propulsion system in Smallsats, by improving the space efficiency of the propellant storage tank. Compared to conventional propulsion tank systems, the solution has the potential to reduce the overall cost of the satellite and provide a modular design that can adapt to various spatial configurations.

Background and justification:

Background and justification:

Artificial intelligence has the potential to become an integral part of space in the future to realize the autonomy of the system without ground control and crew interactions. The demonstrator developed in the scope of the ORBIT-STAR project supports the evaluation of scenarios and techniques for incorporating machine learning algorithms in an operational environment.