European IMU for space navigation

Project Information

EURISA

Grant agreement ID: 101004205

DOI

10.3030/101004205

Project closed

EC signature date 3 November 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 30 September 2025

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space

Total cost

€ 3 280 305,00

EU contribution

€ 2 997 755,00

Coordinated by

EXAIL
France

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EURISA (European IMU for space navigation)

Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

EURISA aims at ensuring long term availability of a European cost-effective and performant IMU based on fiber-optic gyroscopes and quartz accelerometers for the future space missions.

As of today, all European missions depend on foreign IMU without alternative in Europe for compact and cost-effective IMU. The main goal of the project is to deliver an engineering model of this IMU at TRL equal or higher than 6. The engineering model will be tested in space environments and its inertial performances will be measured and validated. On top of that, the project will also deliver crafted hybridization algorithms to provide the best possible navigation performances.

EURISA relies on 4 actors of the European space ecosystem: Airbus Defence & Space, ETH Zurich, DLR Bremen and iXblue. They have all the required competencies and know-hows to make a success out of this project: space electronics, inertial sensors, knowledge on the space mission requirements, hybridization algorithms, space environment and also manufacturing and quality. In practice, the project will be built on current developments of the partners that have already reached TRL 4 and above: compact fiber-optics gyroscopes, quartz accelerometer, space electronic boards based on COTS and hybridization algorithms. In the frame of EURISA, these different elements will be further developed or adapted, then qualified and finally assembled together to make the future European IMU. By using current developments and many synergies together with the use of COTS, we ensure a cost-effective product and a safe path toward a TRL 6 maturity.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The definition of the IMU based on real space missions integrating IMU is done. The sub-functions are derived from the general definition of the IMU and allows the development of the different sub-systems.
EURISA partners have demonstrated that the proposed sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) are compliant with the inertial performances required for the IMU. Regarding space environment, the mechanical environment has been identified as critical and it was decided to add mechnical dampers to guarantee the performances in all environments. The mechnical design has been modified to integrate the dampers and a supplier for the dampers has been identified. All in all, the architecture of EURISA IMU is now fixed and validated.

Based on this architecture, different technical developments are being made. There are 4 electronic boards under development that will be compliant with space environment and among them the most critical one : radiatiative environment. Two electronic boards are being developed for the accelerometer and two electronic boards for the gyroscopes. At this stage, the functions of the two gyroscope electronic boards are validated. The next step will consist in validating the full boards. Regarding the acccelerometer electronic boards, the functions are validated through simulation and prototype boards will be delivered for test until the ednd of 2022.

In parallel, iXblue and DLR Bremen are working on the IMU algorithms and the hybridization. They evaluated the power capacity that was required, to guide the FPGA choice. The FPGA is now chosen and will support all the IMU algorithm. It is a major innovation as most of the space IMU on the market do not integrate this algorithm. Besides, iXBlue and DLR Bremen are working on simulation tools to demonstrate that the IMU is able to fullfil all major space missions (landing, orbital rendez-vous, rover and interplanetary cruise).

Finally, reviews of the IMU architecture and the specification have been organized remotely to validate the choices of design. Several meetings were held at DLR Bremen and at iXblue in Saint-Germain en Lay. We also organised technical working week with two scientists from DLR Bremen being welcome at iXblue to share knowledge and foster technical developments.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

A clear need has been identified for EURISA IMU. Indeed, meetings were organised by the partners with the national and European space agencies to check the relevance of the specifications. The relevance has been clearly confirmed both by ESA and CNES. Moreover, based on the communication made about EURISA IMU, the partners received requests for information from private companies for future space missions. For these companies, a space IMU is definitely identified as critical for their projects and they are very interested by EURISA even at an early stage of itsdevelopment. It demonstrates the interest of the ongoing development, the relevance of our specfications and the importance of this development to enable independant access to space to the European companies in the future.

Working session at DLR Bremen in between iXblue and DLR. It includes a visit of DLR facilities.