The BOUNCED project has assessed the behaviour of elastic tethers within flexible link Active Debris Removal (ADR) systems. This has been achieved by solving a multidimensional set of linear equations, through the separation of dynamic modes; and the construction of analytic and numeric models of the resulting system. These models can be used to simulate the behaviour of both single and multi material tethers across the full lifetime of a tether mission, from pretension, through re-entry burn and free body motion post burn, to re-entry.

Saocom-CS payload is aimed at being mounted onboard a dedicated satellite that will flight in formation with Saocom-1B satellite., the L-band SAR satellite property of CONAE (Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, Argentina).

This summary presents the work by the University of Strathclyde, SCISYS and Roke Manor Research in response to the ESA SysNova Challenge AO7891; Remote sensing with cooperative nanosats, Challenge #3 – Weather. The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance and cost of multi-agent satellite networks capable of providing data in support of severe weather monitoring.

Performance of nanosatellite systems is reaching a level sufficient for supporting Earth Observation applications, while instrument development focuses on miniaturization. By using a multitude of cooperating and cost effective satellites, nanosat technology could be a serious competitor for conventional EO missions

GNSSBICS is a feasibility study carried out in the frame of the ESA’s General Studies Programme (GSP)
by DEIMOS-Space, Deimos-Engenharia and ESA.
This activity investigated what G/S infrastructure would be necessary to develop a System, named as GNSS-BICS (GNSS Bias Calibration System), in charge of providing, under demand, the GNSS MEO S/C SISBAF (Signal-In-Space Biases Amongst Frequencies), from GNSS observations gathered by GNSS multi-frequency receivers on-board LEO satellites (potentially from different missions).

The COBRA (COntactless deBRis Action) concept was studied under ESA contract and then internally by ESA, as part of ESA ́s SysNova technology assessment scheme which uses “technology challenges” and competitions to survey a comparatively large number of alternative solutions. The concept was originally proposed by an industrial consortium led by GMV form Spain with Politecnico di Milano and Thales Alenia Space from Italy. The concept came first in response to a challenge for mission concepts and technologies capable of providing a contactless Earth-bound object orbit modification system.

While most Earth Observation missions based on passive optical methods are intended to measure the light “reflected” by the surface, FLEX uses a completely innovative approach based on the measurement of the light “emitted” as fluorescence by terrestrial vegetation. Such fluorescence emission by vegetation has never been measured from space, which makes FLEX a true Explorer mission providing a type of information never available before.

The Swedish PRISMA IRIDES experiment (Iterative Reduction of Inspection Distance with Embedded Safety) encompassed the transfer of the PRISMA MANGO spacecraft to the non-operational and un-prepared CNES PICARD spacecraft with close range rendezvous and inspection. The rendezvous and inspection phases were intended to be performed by on-ground calculated deltaV manoeuvers based on the available relative-navigation data.

In recent years the concern about the future exploitation of space has been growing due to the risk that uncontrolled space debris poses to the space environment and therefore to the survivability of operational spacecraft. Two main regions of concern exist, GEO, where most of the commercial telecommunications satellites orbit, and LEO, where many scientific missions observing the Earth fly. Of special concern is the sun synchronous orbit, a natural resource of special interest for Earth sciences.

Chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) is a natural spectral emission resulting from the interaction of plant chlorophyll pigment with visible light (typically 400‐700 nm). In photosynthesizing tissues, red and far‐red light can be emitted from any chlorophyll‐containing plant tissues which are exposed to light: primarily foliage, but also green stems, green exposed roots, floral structures, many fruits, and green seeds.