The main objective of the project was to select the right IMU for our Future GNSS Receiver Unit (GRU). Two IMU were selected from their datasheet : µ-UMI-IC-HP from Litef and STIM318 from Sensonor. These 2 IMU were submitted to hard characterization tests applicable to our Launchers (and
HAPS) application.

Currently GNSS Systems provide services for instantaneous absolute positioning accuracy of a few meters, assuming no local obstructions above 5-10 degrees elevation, based on the navigation signals broadcast by a MEO constellation.

To realize the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, Nikhef, the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics started developing a novel seismic sensor: An ultra-sensitive miniaturised accelerometer made in micro-electro- mechanical system (MEMS) technology. The goal was to develop an affordable accelerometer that was as sensitive as conventional seismometers, but significantly smaller and cheaper. Innoseis, a spin-off company, has been licensed to bring this cutting-edge technology to market.

This activity is intended to investigate the Grazing Angle (GA) Carrier Phase Altimetry (CaPA) using signals transmitted by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The CaPA technique requires that the electromagnetic signal reflects coherently rather than in a diffuse regime. The hypothesis is that GA geometries enhance the likelihood of coherence scattering. It was also hypothesized that the combination of signals at slightly different frequency bands could expand the coherence conditions (widelane techniques, WL).

Space missions benefit greatly by the capability of the on-board GNC system to adapt rapidly to unknown environment. Autonomous vision-based navigation is a particular technology under implementation in several ESA missions. One of the most interesting applications in that field is the proximity operations around a small asteroid, like those in HERA.
The goal of this activity was to develop a navigation algorithm with the capability to fly over an unknown terrain and achieve better navigation performances than current vision-based techniques based on unknown feature tracking.

It is expected that the control system for the L3 mission will need to control several degrees of freedom with different actuators at different frequencies, yielding a tightly coupled, multiple-input multiple-output system. Even though the Lisa Pathfinder (LPF) mission has proven some of the control system technologies required to achieve this, the architecture of the LPF Drag Free Attitude Control System (DFACS) has been designed to best fit the motion equations and requirements of LPF, which are less challenging than those for L3.

With the increased frequency of shipping activities, such as tourism and freight’s transport, navigation safety has become a major concern, especially when human casualties, environmental issues and economic losses are considered. Even if new technologies have already supplied aids to pilots for the navigation risk reduction, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports that the majority of accidents could have been avoided by providing suitable input to the navigation decision-making process.

The activity aims at developing a tool that can investigate the failure modes of GNSS systems. Such tool can then be used for detection of failures, and/or to characterise the tolerance of GNSS system or subsystem architectures to failures. Focus will be given primarily to failures and failure modes that may impact critical services (e.g. Safety-of-Life). The tool shall be able to model GNSS systems and subsystems (i.e. ground or space segments, elements and/or components) and its failure modes in a modular way.

This work has primarily focused on establishing scenarios where inflatable devices could be the most useful. Given that these missions rely on aerodynamic drag that results in (potentially significant) heating, the authors have sought to find solutions to minimize heat fluxes acting on the device surface, and especially keeping it within the limits of flexible/foldable TPS materials for the aerocapture scenario.