Project description
Software-driven orchestration of satellite constellations
Space is busier than ever. Thousands of satellites will be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) in the coming years. The ERC project LEOpowver will develop software for the continuous, fully automated, power-optimal and profit maximising dynamic operation of low Earth satellite constellations. It will do so by harvesting results of the ERC POWVER project for the LEO market. Together with an in-orbit validation of the software on a LEO satellite constellation, the project will conduct in-depth exploration of commercialisation opportunities for the software product. Its unique strength is the software-driven orchestration of satellite constellations by optimal management of the severely limited in-orbit electric power budget.
Objective
More than 17,000 satellites are announced for launch into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) before 2027, for the purpose of real-time Earth observation and worldwide connectivity. The multitude of mission initiatives is a sign of democratization of space and induces enormous business opportunities.
LEOpowver will harvest results of the ERC Advanced Grant POWVER for the LEO market to arrive at orbit-proof software for the continuous, fully automated, power-optimal and profit maximising dynamic operation of Low Earth Satellite Constellations.
The software will solve the pivotal challenge in the software-driven orchestration of satellite constellations, namely the management of the severely limited in-orbit electric power budget.
+ At any point in time a highly accurate power model approximates the actual distribution of the state-of-charge of the on-board batteries very tightly. This enables tracking and extrapolation of the battery state with unprecedented accuracy.
+ Data transfer needs within large satellite constellations induce critical interdependencies between the individual satellites' power budgets. The LEOpowver software determines the optimal data transfer in the form of a contact plan, enabling the constellation-wide best utilisation of resources while provably minimizing battery depletion risks.
+ In-orbit battery measurements are transmitted to ground at the earliest possible moments, where they are fed into a machine learning mechanism rectifying the on-ground models of the satellites, which in turn is the basis for perpetuating the computation of always safe and best-to-follow receding-horizon schedules in a self-adaptive manner. In this way, the quality of the constellation management is continually improved.
The central activities of LEOpowver are (i) in-orbit validation of this software on a LEO satellite constellation and (ii) in-depth exploration of commercialisation opportunities for the software product.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringelectric energy
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftware
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technology
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesartificial intelligencemachine learning
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantHost institution
66123 Saarbrucken
Germany