Paper Category: Technology
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ELECTROADHESIVE ATTACHMENT FOR ORBITAL SERVICING
This paper presents validated electroadhesive attachment technology enabling diverse on-orbit servicing missions from active debris removal to scientific asset preservation. Testing demonstrates capture and control of rapidly rotating spacecraft exceeding traditional mechanical grappling limitations, expanding the addressable population of serviceable orbital objects. The research goal was validating universal attachment capability across mission types without requiring…
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Resilient IP Distribution Techniques for SmallSat and Hybrid Space–Ground Architectures
SmallSat missions frequently rely on space–ground communication paths that are intermittent, asymmetric, or intentionally unidirectional. Compared to traditional GEO systems, SmallSats operate with lower transmit power, smaller antennas, and shorter contact windows, resulting in lower signal-to-noise ratios, burst packet loss, and constrained or unavailable return channels. These conditions are common in missions supporting SAR and…
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OLAF: a Swarm of Microsatellites for Active Debris Removal by Space-based Laser Ablation
Small debris objects (1 mm–10 cm) pose a considerable risk to active spacecraft, potentially causing mission-critical damage as they can reach relative impact velocities of 15 km/s in LEO. ESA’s latest Space Environment Report estimates more than 130 million objects in this size range residing in LEO, the majority of which cannot be tracked by…
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INTERNET PROTOCOL ROUTING IN CIS-LUNAR SPACE
Over the last five years, integrating space systems into the global Internet paradigm has advanced significantly. Space constellations and networks are now commonplace; however, current implementations remain limited to networks managed as single terrestrially orchestrated systems or orchestrated hybrid mixtures of interacting space networks. This centralized orchestration approach constrains autonomous operations, requires continuous ground station…
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Enabling Software-Defined Satellites with Edge AI
Software-Defined Satellites (SDSs) enable spacecraft to evolve on orbit through software, moving beyond fixed-function architectures toward adaptable, multi-mission platforms. Software-defined radios and reconfigurable sensors and onboard compute systems provide foundational flexibility, while the integration of artificial intelligence at the edge is critical to achieving true operational autonomy. This presentation examines how AI-enabled onboard processing allows…
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High-Performance Ceramic SLA 3D Printing for SmallSat Components
3DCERAM specializes in the development and manufacturing of advanced ceramic 3D printers and materials tailored for the aerospace industry, including small satellites. Our cutting-edge Stereolithography (SLA) technology has been proven robust and reliable, with several clients already achieving space qualifications for critical components such as alumina thrusters and zirconia antennas. These milestones underscore the maturity…
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Ensuring Orbital Safety from T-0: The Critical Imperative for Immediate Post-Launch Collision Avoidance
As the density of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environment increases, driven by frequent rideshare missions and the deployment of mega-constellations, the initial phase of satellite operations has emerged as a period of heightened orbital risk. Historically, collision avoidance (COLA) processes have relied on established tracking by Space Situational Awareness (SSA) providers. However, this study…
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Semi-Autonomous Reconnaissance Satellite: A Laboratory Demonstration of End-to-End On-Board Mission Autonomy
Real-time satellite responsiveness to user requests from the field remains largely unavailable in current space systems. Such capabilities are typically restricted to low-altitude airborne platforms, primarily due to limited satellite communication bandwidth, intermittent ground contact, and the reliance on ground-based mission planning. Enabling true responsiveness requires a paradigm shift toward highly autonomous satellites, in which…
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Enabling Secure Maritime Connectivity: MAIV of the MICE-1 CubeSat Mission
The increasing reliance of Maritime IoT and Internet of Vessels (IoV) applications on satellite connectivity places stringent requirements not only on system architecture and communications performance, but also on the robustness, manufacturability, and verification of spaceborne platforms operating in demanding environments. In this context, nanosatellite missions targeting maritime services must balance tight mass, volume, and…
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In-Orbit Demonstration of OrbFIX: a High-Accuracy PNT Device for LEO Satellites
OrbFIX is a high-accuracy positioning device designed for small satellites operating in LEO, and is developed by Romanian InSpace Engineering under a series of ESA contracts. It integrates a multi-band, multi-constellation GNSS receiver tracking all available signals with a Precise Point Positioning (PPP) algorithm that implements Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) corrections to provide a…