In the ocean, transport and mixing processes tend to disperse matter in suspension over wide spatial (~100 km) and long temporal (~month) scales. Fronts appear at the boundary between water masses with different properties and are caused by diverse oceanic features and processes, including bottom topography. Frontal structures include tidal mixing fronts, shelf-break fronts, upwelling fronts, estuarine fronts, plume fronts, fronts generated by convergence or divergence of water masses, and frontal eddies (Acha et al. 2015; Largier 1993).

The D2OPS activity started with the goal of applying MBSE practices to enable digital continuity between design and operations. This study involves the following main activities:

In order to enable lunar exploration in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to develop technologies that allow the use of lunar resources in-situ. Additive manufacturing techniques are being studied for in-situ resources utilization on the Moon (e.g.: solar or laser sintering). The results of these studies, presented samples with low mechanical properties due to the formation of defects and cracks within the final product.

Development of instruments and algorithms for remote sensing of plastics need standardised global in-situ observations. Compared to aquatic environments, dry shores are more accessible to frequent in situ observations. As part of the HyperDrone project, funded by the Discovery Element of the European Space Agency’s Basic Activities, we aimed to develop a standardised indicator for in-situ radiometric detection of plastic debris with the view to be deployed globally on different platforms.

In most in vitro cell models, cultures are made adhering to flat culture slides and the expected activation of specific cell markers is measured on cells. However, in this simplified condition, cell response is not representative of the in vivo response, which is based on cell interactions that occur in three-dimensional (3D) non-flat environments and between several cell populations.

This project is conceived at analysing a secured communication link between a space-based system and a maritime system. The final goal is to serve autonomous navigation vessels, with a possible extension to other smart commercial maritime services and to favour the process towards a highly and full digitalisation of the Port system. The autonomous ship is here considered from an operating point of view, although quite simple and with the purpose of understanding the impact on the telecommunication system. The initial focus is on three possible telecommunication solutions:

Future spacecraft missions require high accuracy (in relative and absolute kinematics as well as attitude parameters).

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Main achievement: Development of the first blockchain ecosystem for space system engineering, as a global configuration tool that can model the business logic of concurrent design. Addressing the MBSE challenges of  controlling data exchange and traceability across system development and operations lifecycle.

Results: Two use cases have been successfully implemented

The EasyMOD project takes place in the OSIP Model-Based System Engineering Campaign as an Early technology Development of ESA, as well as an IRT Saint Exupéry project funded by Airbus Defence and Space, Airbus Commercial Aircraft, HDGroup and the French Government. It aims at improving the human/machine interactions in the use of MBSE models, by providing friendlier visualisation and review capabilities, modelling assistants and new kind of HW and SW interfaces.