Author: SIRIN

Sirin Orbital Systems AG sponsored the POWER UP event organized by the UK’s Space Energy Initiative (SEI) on the eve of UK Space Conference 2023 in Belfast. POWER UP was a mingle with representatives from across the space and energy industries for an evening discussing the latest developments in Space Solar Power.

_{Further reading:}
https://www.spaceconference.co.uk/ukspaceconference2023/powerup

Earlier this year, European Space Agency (ESA) asked for innovative ideas for new mission concepts enabled by CubeSat swarms. The open call for ideas was run by the Preparation element of ESA’s Basic Activities through the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). The call was answered no less than 61 times. Seven ideas were selected based on an evaluation by a panel of ESA experts, who scored the ideas on their novelty, technological feasibility, and the relevant experience of the submission team.

Sirin Orbital Systems AG is thrilled to have been selected in this campaign with its 16U4SBSP mission concept, “a CubeSat swarm beaming down solar power”; a project developed in cooperation with TU Delft in the Netherlands and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Read full article on ESA website:
_{https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Discovery_and_Preparation/Seven_ways_to_use_a_CubeSat_}swarm

16U4SBSP project webpage on ESA platform:
_{https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2023/10/A_CubeSat_swarm_beaming_down_solar_power}

_{See related post:
https://sirin-os.com/2023/09/13/winning-esa-campaign-innovative-mission-concepts-enabled-by-swarms-of-cubesats/}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG filed a patent application for an “AI-based vision system for autonomous navigation to space targets”, an invention generally applicable to the field of visual servoing systems for On-Orbit Services (OOS) such as Active Debris Removal (ADR) missions. The intended smart camera uses at an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to provide target position and orientation information for autonomous navigation to this target in space. This invention is the outcome of an ESA-funded Study in cooperation with the Competence Centre Intelligent Sensors and Networks at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).

A follow-on Early Technology Development activity for prototyping and technology readiness enhancement is envisaged.

_{Patent Priority Date: 05.10.2023
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), Bern}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG wins the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Contract in the “Innovative Mission Concepts Enabled by Swarms of CubeSats” campaign. For this competitive campaign, 74 European entities or individuals generated 74 ideas, 61 of which were carefully evaluated by ESA experts and 13 ideas were chosen for a full proposal phase, after a thorough evaluation. 5 to 7 contracts were awarded at the end.

The “Innovative Mission Concepts Enabled by Swarms of CubeSats” campaign seeks to explore new possibilities in space exploration and Earth observation by leveraging the power of CubeSat Swarms to enable unprecedented scientific and technological advancements.

Sirin Orbital Systems AG and its two Subcontractors, TU Delft in the Netherlands and University of Strathclyde in Scotland, proposed a novel mission concept entitled, “Swarms of CubeSats for kW-scale Space-Based Solar Power (16U4SBSP)“.

The mission concept “16U4SBSP” intends to demonstrate the use of a Swarm of 16U CubeSats for the realization of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP). The intended mission can supply wireless electricity for space-to-space commercial applications or for space-to-ground purposes. In the proposed demonstration mission, a swarm of CubeSats collaboratively supply a kW-scale power to clients and end-users in different locations, e.g. in-orbit power supply to data-centres or other in-orbit modules with auxiliary power requirements or remote/strategic areas on Earth’s surface. This mission concept is a fundamental technology demonstration step for the realization of GW-scale SBSP, aimed to provide clean and limitless energy from space through wireless power transmission toward the middle of the 21st century. Nonetheless, the original GW-scale SBSP requires large-scale transportation and robotics for the construction of km-scale infrastructure in space, whereas the proposed 16U4SBSP mission can be realized cheaper, faster and easier in a shorter term.

_{ESA Campaign webpage:
Innovative Mission Concepts Enabled by Swarms of CubeSats}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG is proud to announce that an outstanding book project entitled, “Artificial Intelligence for Space: Trends, Applications, and Perspectives” (ISBN 9781032430898) is successfully completed and is in the production phase. Led by experts at Sirin AI R&D Centre, this project is the outcome of a fruitful international cooperation, gathering expert opinions on the subject, from world-class scholars, researchers and entrepreneurs affiliated with distinguished entities comprising European Space Agency (ESA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS, JAXA), University of Colorado, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space, University of North Carolina, KU Leuven, University of Pisa, Naval Group Belgium, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Cineca, Western Sydney University,  Sapienza University of Rome, AIKO S.r.l. and XPRIZE Foundation.

Aimed at space engineers, risk analysts, policy makers, technical experts and non-specialists, this book demonstrates insights into the implementation of AI in the space sector, alongside its limitations and use-case examples. It covers diverse AI-related topics applicable to space technologies or space big data such as AI-based technologies for improving Earth Observation big data, AI for space robotics exploration, AI for astrophysics, AI for emerging in-orbit servicing market, and AI for space tourism safety improvement.

“This book embarks on a journey through the fascinating realm of AI in space, exploring its profound implications, emerging trends, and transformative potential.”

Prof. Dr. Oliver Ullrich
Director UZH Space Hub, University of Zurich

This edited book will be published by CRC Press: Taylor & Francis in December 2023.

_{・Book website:
Artificial Intelligence for Space: AI4SPACE Trends, Applications, and Perspectives
https://www.routledge.com/9781032430898}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG filed a patent application for a “mechanically tunable high-precision waveguide phase shifter system”, which enables efficient beam control and beam steering in Wireless Power transfer (WPT) applications. This invention reduces energy losses and makes the design applicable for given high power terrestrial and space WPT applications, notably Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) systems. This invention is the outcome of an ESA-funded Early Technology Development activity in cooperation with the Institute of Electrical Engineering IET at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU).

A follow-on activity for prototyping and technology readiness enhancement is envisaged.

_{Patent Priority Date: 19.06.2023
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), Bern}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG launched the early technology development phase for its innovative series of water/metal-powder micro-propulsion systems for small satellites. Gratefully supported by the Propulsion Section at the European Space Agency (ESA), the activity was kicked off on the 1st of May 2023 aiming at enriching the technology readiness level up to TRL4 within a 15-month project, when it will be then followed up and de-risked through a GSTP-6 Element I “Develop” activity, already endorsed by the National Delegation to ESA.

The project is realized in cooperation with the Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), and receives technical supports from the Space Propulsion Lab at the University of Tokyo.

_{See related post:
PATENT — MICRO-PROPULSION FOR SMALL-SATELLITES}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG supports – as a member of the Space Energy Initiative (SEI) – UK’s plan for the development of Space Based Solar Power (SBSP).

The Space Energy Initiative is bringing together government, research and industry in the space and energy sectors to develop and deliver a co-ordinated programme of technology development and demonstration for the realization of SBSP. Meeting the timeline set out by the UK Government’s Net Zero pledge, and in partnership with other nations, the aim is to establish the first orbital demonstrator SBSP system by 2030, with the first of a kind operational system delivering power into the grid by 2040. A constellation of Solar Power Satellites would be in operation by the mid 2040s, delivering a substantial proportion of the UK’s energy needs.

Sirin Orbital Systems AG will contribute to SEI with its expertise in the field of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), a key enabling technology for the realization of SBSP.

_{Further reading:
https://spaceenergyinitiative.org.uk/space-based-solar-power/}

Sirin Orbital Systems AG was featured in an article published in myScience.ch, entitled “Tinkering for waste collection in space“, describing the R&D efforts at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), which is performed in cooperation with Sirin Orbital Systems AG. The project was initiated in early summer 2020, within a fruitful internal cooperation supported by Tokyo University of Science (TUS) and NIKON CORPORATION in Japan.

In this joint R&D effort carried out at The Competence Centre Intelligent Sensors and Networks (CC ISN) at HSLU, the development of a smart processor board that provides the possibility for real time detection and classification of space objects based on video image streams from a 2D matrix camera is investigated. A follow-on feasibility study is currently being carried out with the support of the European Space Agency, ESA Initial Support for Innovation (EISI). The final product is aimed to be a fully automated space-qualified camera for space objects detection and classification, with diverse applications such as active debris removal (ADR) missions.

myScience gives an overview of science, research and scientific careers in Switzerland. This platform is intended for researchers, scientists, engineers, academics and everyone interested in science in Switzerland.

_{Full article on myScience.ch website:}
Tinkering for waste collection in space | myScience / news / wire – news in brief

_{Full article on HSLU website:}
Tüfteln für die Müllabfuhr im Weltall (hslu.ch)