Hybrid infrared detector arrays combing a sensitive diode layer bonded to a CMOS readout circuit are baselined for many current and upcoming Earth Observation missions. This activity aims to develop a breadboard, using a custom ASIC, capable of providing the necessary clocks and bias voltages to operate the detector as well as providing 4-channel video processing and digitisation, leading to a two-chip (Control ASIC + hyrbid detector) detection system. The design will be split to allow separate or combined use of bias and clock generation and video processing and digitization functions.

The definition of the On-board Software Reference Architecture (OSRA) has led to the definition of a main model (the architecture itself, defined in OSRA), supported by other models focusing on specific aspects such as real-time, transaction, bus exchange, etc. or making the link with system such as the Spacecraft Data Base. The space system primes and space software providers have been starting to use various modelling languages (UML or DSLs) and various tools to support their in-house tailored software engineering processes.

Background and justification:

The performed de-risk study revealed that space players are aware of the D4D constraints that one day may be standard rules for Space Agencies. The need to acquire in-flight data is considered of primary importance. However, costs and benefits of in-flight experiments shall be compared. From the analysis conducted by VKI it emerged that recurrent low-cost experiments could be a winning strategy considering i) the intrinsic stochastic nature of the space-debris phenomenon; ii) the reduced measurement capabilities compared to ground experiments; iii) the high risk of a big single experiment.

In this activity, lunar regolith simulants were characterised based on their thermal behaviour, particle size distribution and composition, in order to inform the choice of consolidation method for functionally graded materials (FGMs) – powder characterisation results are provided in the 'conference paper' deliverable.

Firstly, an extensive literature review study (deliverable 'Literature Review') identified Digital Light Processing (DLP) and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) as promising consolidation techniques.

Contamination transfer can be influenced by many parameters. Contaminants can be transported by several mechanisms, like outgassing, offgassing, contact, saltation etc. To validate complex models and to quantify effective transfer rates, experimental validation of these models is necessary. For this it is proposed to conduct experiments in a well defined environment with well characterised sample and surface properties, geometries etc. and to devise mitigation strategies by proposing e.g. appropriate engineering measures to limit the contamination transfer.

During this activity, we were able to evaluate our electrochemical system with respect to: (i) silicon anode fabricated at an industrial scale equipment, (ii) pouch cells that were manufactured at different suppliers and tested by Airbus Defence and Space, and (iii) safety protocols.

In addition, we showed that standard graphitic-based chemistry cannot operate at low temperatures. Finally, we evaluated the Cost of Ownership of our products.

The study is supposed to provide a wide-spread analysis not only limited to POD concepts, but also investigating the impact of the SSV extension on operational concepts for space users, GNSS software design, and ground operations.

The emergence of the classical world from quantum theory, and especially of a consensus among different observers, is a long-standing problem for the foundations of quantum theory. Using recent advances in multipartite quantum information theory, we shed light on these problems. Besides their interest for fundamental physics, they are related to quantum sensing and metrology using a quantum-network of stations, a situation of interest for the potential use of quantum-based measurement probes for exploring space and the Universe.

The space industry and space agencies have been aware for quite some time of the interest and added value of model-based system engineering (MBSE) in streamlining the design, development, deployment and verification of space systems. There have been many initiatives during the past decades aiming at defining models and tools able to support the various needs of the system engineering process. MBSE is increasingly being used in operational projects and the next step is to use MBSE extensively throughout the system life cycle, across disciplines and throughout the supply chain.