Augmented reality (AR) displays are image-forming systems that use a set of optical, electronic, and mechanical components to generate images somewhere on the optical path between an observer’s eyes and the physical object to be augmented.

AR provides a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment and augments (or supplements) this view with computer-generated input such as sound, video, graphics, 3D objects or GPS data.

Recently, a variety of satellite constellations, some of them featuring over a thousand satellites, were announced. While similar concepts for large constellations already existed in the past, existing satellite constellations hardly ever feature triple-digit satellite quantities. At the time of writing, the world’s largest constellation is operated by Planet Labs and consists of 190+ Dove spacecraft.

In summary, this activity used simulated and analysed parameters for each component to define the requirements for each application. For the flight model, the most important parameters are power consumption, cost and mass of the components. The power consumption and mass of components are acquired from the datasheets. Since space qualification is needed for these components the cost estimation is a difficult task. For example, even for the passive component the price difference between non-qualified, qualifiable and qualified devices is rather high.

The DTN-EO study was initiated in order to research the performance of DTN in future missions, particularly Earth observation and constellation-type missions. In the original proposal, ESA stipulated three scenarios which were to be tested: Earth observation, constellation, and exploration missions. These scenarios built upon each other, starting with an Earth observation-centric mission such as the Sentinel missions, before moving to a large constellation. Ultimately, the DTN network from the first two scenarios was expanded to represent a deep-space exploration mission.

Background and justification:

The purpose of this study was to define the a communication subsystem architecture (including both ground and space segments, as well as operational methods) that allows robust RF TT&C links during superior solar conjunction phases. The defined architecture shall ensure robust and reliable links in scintillation regimes (i.e. at low SEP angles) where TT&C links are nowadays degraded, leading to occasional link interruptions. Similarly, the defined architecture shall ensure that at even higher scintillation regimes (i.e.

The inexorable progress made in the past years in the field of Earth observation (EO) technologies offers a huge potential for innovation in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) applications. Interferometry processing of SAR data is one of the standard techniques for the detection, detailed characterisation and monitoring of surface motion caused by natural disasters. Yet the transfer of this technology progress to the user community needs to move forward in order to ensure that advancements in satellite technologies are transformed into services to be used by the community.

The ASTERM ablative heatshield material has recently been developed (under Astrium RD and TRP-DEAM) and is currently in pre-qualification (under MREP-DEAM2). This development is specifically tailored for application on the Earth return capsule of sample return missions.