EUROPE’S LARGEST SMALLSAT CONFERENCE

JUne 1-3, 2027 | RAI, Amsterdam

Paper Category: Systems Engineering & Integration

  • AI-Based Navigation for Lunar Satellites in VLLO

    This paper presents the design and preliminary validation of the Lunar Intelligent Navigation via Neural Architecture (LINNA) payload, a technology demonstration integrated into the SelenITA mission—Brazil’s first lunar CubeSat. The experiment is motivated by the future needs for autonomous state estimation in the Very Low Lunar Orbit (VLLO) regime, where Mascon-induced gravitational anomalies challenge traditional…

  • Towards an open source, systems-level mission planning and analysis tool

    The traditional systems engineering workflow requires synthesis of subsystem design information into technical budgets, performance simulations, and other metrics of mission credibility and value. Projects often use a diverse mixture of spreadsheet calculators and custom and commercial simulation software to draw mission-level conclusions from subsystem-level design information and requirements. This approach suffers from two inefficiencies.…

  • DANTE: A Spaceborne Radar Constellation for Debris Detection and Tracking

    Space debris poses a growing threat to the sustainability and safety of space operations, with increasing collision risks for satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Current ground based radar systems are limited in detecting small objects leaving a critical gap in monitoring capabilities. This work introduces DANTE (Detection ANd Tracking of space dEbris), a spaceborne…

  • Multiclass Satellite Payload for SAR

    This work investigates a multiclass spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload architecture aimed at enabling distributed and scalable Earth Observation missions using NanoSats and/or MicroSats in cooperative satellite swarms. The proposed architecture addresses the challenge of achieving high performance SAR imaging within the inherent mass, volume and power constraints of small satellites while supporting advanced…

  • Modular approach for ensuring smallsat cybersecurity

    Small satellites largely rely on rapid development cycles and distributed ground segment services while using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, which collectively introduce significant cybersecurity challenges. Constrained budgets, short mission timelines and limited onboard resources often prevent the adoption of security-by-design approaches traditionally used in larger space missions. Additionally, the use of COTS and standardized protocols…

  • Comparative Analysis of ST-100 and ST-100M Hall Thruster Prototypes for Mission-Specific Applications

    This study provides a comparative assessment of the ST-100 Hall-effect thruster and its magnetically shielded counterpart, the ST-100M, designed to enhance longevity by minimizing channel wall erosion. Erosion of dielectric channel walls remains a critical limitation for thruster operational life. The ST-100M incorporates an optimized magnetic topology, developed using ANSYS Maxwell simulations, to deflect ion…

  • CubeSat ISR Constellation Mission Tailoring

    This paper presents a modelling framework for Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) CubeSat constellation combining optical payload and Software Defined Radio (SDR). The concept satellite is 8-16U depending on the payload resolution and presence of warm-gas propulsion allowing for orbital changes and station keeping extending the operational time. Deployed in 500-km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO), the…

  • The Final Barrier to High-Performance Computing in Space: Architectures for Mitigating Catastrophic Radiation Effects

    The increasing ambition of commercial and institutional space missions is driving demand for onboard computing capabilities far beyond traditional spacecraft avionics. Applications such as orbital data centers, large satellite constellations, autonomous mission operations, and real time data processing increasingly depend on high performance GPUs, advanced processors, high density solid state storage, and complex commercial electronic…

  • Engineering a 160-Node Distributed Payload in 3U

    Rapid in-orbit technology validation is increasingly constrained by integration effort and spacecraft resource margins. We present a systems-engineering approach for hosting up to 160 low-power experiment nodes within a standard 3U CubeSat as a contained distributed payload. The architecture treats each node as an independently testable endpoint while the spacecraft provides shared power, timing, command…

  • Qualification test campaign for the 15kN Milli Release Nut

    The Dcubed Milli Release Nut (mD3RN) is a compact, high-performance release actuator based on Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) technology, capable of sustaining and releasing axial loads of up to 15 kN. The actuator has been designed with a strong focus on low mass, compact form factor, and functional redundancy, while enabling a simple and rapid…