Space exploration and the Earth-orbit space economy are creating entirely new markets.
Our expertise in satellite communications, autonomous systems, orbital and planetary robotics, small satellites, space systems design and mission-critical software makes us the ideal centre of excellence to support Luxembourg’s commitment to space exploration and in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU).
Luxembourg is a country with its eyes on the stars – and SnT is helping to turn its science-fiction dreams into an economic reality. Our researchers explore the challenges and opportunities of space, hand in hand with industry-leading partners. From Earth-orbiting communication satellites, to state-of-the-art nanosatellites and autonomous lunar robots, researchers at SnT infuse Luxembourg’s vibrant space industry with new perspectives and innovative solutions. We are proud to be a part of the most dynamic ecosystem for applied space innovation in Europe.
Luxembourg
Your hub for commercial space applications in Europe
• Contributes more per capita to the European Space Agency (ESA) than any other member state.
• Was the first European country to develop a legal framework for the utilisation of space resources.
• Its space industry is outpacing its neighbours in both relative investment and growth – the space sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP is among the highest ratios in Europe.
• It is home to approximately 70 space companies and research labs, employing more than 800 people.
THE GROUND SEGMENT
• Advanced transceiver design and implementation
• Communication network design management and optimisation
• Software architectures, design and testing
• Operations
THE SPACE SEGMENT
• On-board digital payloads
• Real-time software systems
• Robotic payloads
• In-space manufacturing
• Space situational awareness payload
40+ ESA projects
20+ Collaborations in the space sector
Interdisciplinary Space Master
THE SERVICE SEGMENT
• Data and media delivery
• Data and telecommunication services
• Risk management services
• Data analytics
• Earth observation
8 Dedicated labs
8 Research groups involved in space projects
Prof. Djamila Aouada and Prof. Miguel Olivares Mendez in the Zero-G Lab
LunaLab
Interdisciplinary Space Master students in the CubeSatLab
Ever-evolving wireless communications and sensing require increasingly efficient systems to transmit, analyse and receive high quality data. SIGCOM conducts research aimed at designing, emulating and testing new high performance systems for the future of mobile and satellite communications, and radar signal processing. Fields of applications range from 5G/6G telecommunications to satellite-based internet connectivity.
CVI2 conducts research in real-world applications of computer vision, image analysis, and machine intelligence, with extensive development of AI approaches. Typical fields of application are space, Industry 4.0, surveillance, cybersecurity, healthcare, and automotive. The expertise of CVI2 spans all stages of computer vision, including acquisition, processing, analysis, and decision.
Solving today’s scientific and real-world problems not only requires high performance computing (HPC), but also new generations of artificial intelligence algorithms. PCOG conducts research in parallel computing, as well as search and optimisation techniques, to provide efficient, scalable and robust solutions to state-of-the-art, large-scale discrete/combinatorial problems.
Ensuring the security, safety, and reliability of software systems is crucial to our lives. SVV conducts research in automated testing, as well as requirement engineering, design-time and runtime verification, security analysis and testing, and regulatory compliance to create reliable, scalable solutions to real-world challenges. Current fields of application include space, FinTech, legal, automotive, and e-government.
Technology affects the evolution of entrepreneurship and innovation, creating completely new business models and funding opportunities. The EINT group conducts interdisciplinary research on topics such as space entrepreneurship, emerging funding avenues, intellectual property, and sustainability.
Services and infrastructures in space are vital for our society and rely on increasingly sophisticated systems. SpaSys aims to research and develop space systems that are miniaturised and distributed, including ChipSats and CubeSats, operated in swarms and formations, in-space manufacturing, and in-situ resource utilisation. In parallel, they also develop systems engineering approaches, such as model-based systems engineering for space mission design and concept development.
The new space age relies on advanced technology for its breakthroughs – with robotics at its very core. SpaceR conducts research in autonomous planetary and orbital robotics for space exploration, in-situ resource utilisation and orbital servicing. In addition, the group also focuses on aerial and ground robotics and multi-robot cooperation.
Many complex technical systems need to execute their tasks efficiently with an increasing degree of autonomy, requiring flexible and intelligent automation. ARG conducts research to enable mobile and industrial robots, autonomous vehicles, as well as space and energy systems, to better perceive the world around them and to interact with it in an optimal and intelligent way.
The LunaLab is one of the few facilities across the globe that simulates lunar conditions for testing applications such as autonomous navigation of lunar robots, multi-robot interaction, lunar surface extraction, manipulation and transportation, additive manufacturing and regolith analysis.
Concurrent engineering is replacing traditional sequential design. Instead of having engineers work on their own, and in consecutive steps on a project, concurrent engineering calls for a collaborative and agile approach. They use connected workstations, and a flexible lab design that changes to suit applications such as space system design, strategic forecasting, space architecture, and feasibility studies.
CubeSats are the catalysts of the NewSpace industry. Thanks to the countless applications they lend themselves to, and their reduced cost, these nanosatellites have spurred a new space race. In this lab, Interdisciplinary Space Master students can design, develop, and test their own custom nanosatellites.
The SatComLab gives researchers and students the opportunity to test and validate their algorithms in conditions that reflect the challenges and constraints of real-world communications platforms. It explores research topics such as precoded downlink beams, ISL data/payload synchronisation and DVB-S2/5G NR communication standards.
The CommLab is used for research and testing of both satellite and terrestrial communication systems. Activities carried out in this facility are mostly focused on wireless communication systems to test and validate digital signal processing algorithms, while facing real implementation issues and constraints.
A lab to test the movement of in-orbit robotics, satellites and other spacecraft in a microgravity environment – similar in concept to an air hockey platform. It enables students and researchers to understand and forecast the behaviour of orbital robotics in space.
Our space researchers have joined forces to collaborate on a unique, integrated and interdisciplinary space communications and control emulation platform: the 6G-SpaceLab. This new facility merges the CubeSatLab, LunaLab, SatComLab and Concurrent Design Facility for the next generation of space applications. The 6G-SpaceLab allows the testing, validation and demonstration of space operations for communications scenarios between two different points, including: Earth to an orbiting satellite, Earth to Moon and beyond, Moon orbiting to Moon surface.
The Luxembourg Quantum Communication Infrastructure Laboratory (LUQCIA) is a five-year project of SnT and the Ministry of State. LUQCIA aims to build a national testbed in 2023 to enable advanced and applied research in quantum key distribution and quantum internet – a vital stage in the next generation of computing and internet usage.
LUQCIA has been designed to enable advanced and applied research in quantum key distribution and quantum internet – a vital stage in the next generation of computing and internet usage. In particular, the lab conducts research on quantum key distribution (QKD) as well as all layers of quantum communication networks, namely software, cryptography, networking, signal processing, and optics.
6G is soon here – and another revolution in our (digital) lives is coming with it. As we stand on the threshold, many have started to wonder what could be next.
SnT, alongside various industry partners, is helping to answer that question. Their research explores how satellite technology can help enable the 6G world – and how satellites can do even more to advance 6G capabilities.
One of the world’s largest satellite communications research teams
“Our business relies on the technology we use, and we are embracing innovations that support current markets and unlock new opportunities for the customers we serve.
With the backing of the FNR and SnT, we are sure we will be able to further advance on integrated satellite-terrestrial networks.”
Ruy Pinto, Chief Technical Officer at SESIn 2021, SnT and SES announced their plan to combine their research efforts into the SnT-SES Joint Lab. In an expansion of their partnership, which has been ongoing since 2010, their initiative will begin to explore domains such as quantum key distribution and cybersecurity. Together, they will jointly utilise the laboratories and
facilities at their respective sites to further scientific exploration and state-of-the-art technologies. The collaboration saw them awarded early access to Luxembourg’s supercomputer, MeluXina, in which they explored complex scenarios in satellite resource allocation
In developed societies, using the internet is part of our everyday routine. Consuming our waking hours of the day, constant access is often no more than an arm’s reach away. However, 37% of the world’s population has never used the internet, and hundreds of millions more are affected by a digital divide, where access is available intermittently or have a very poor quality of service.
Connecting the unconnected is the aim of the sElf-evolving terrestrial/non-Terrestrial Hybrid nEtwoRks (ETHER) project, that will explore integrating networks to target 100% network coverage, and 99.9% in service continuity and reliability. Supported in funding through the EU CORDIS HORIZON programme, ETHER will combine technologies under a unique 3D multi-layered architectural system.
Recently, neuromorphic processors (NP) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional processors. They operate by mimicking the way a human brain communicates, processing data as quicky as possible, instead of batching it. This novel processing methodology is particularly promising for artificial intelligence (AI), as its design is ideally suited for tasks like recognition and reasoning, that are easily performed by a human brain.
But there is more: NP’s energy efficiency and capability for continual adaptation makes them particularly interesting for AI and ML
solutions in satellite communications (SatCom) systems.
Funded by the European Space Agency, the NeuroSat project aims to identify the potential benefits of NPs in the implementation of spiking neural networks (SNN) for SatCom applications. The study’s primary outcomes will be to inform the community of the capabilities and feasibility of implementing neuromorphic processors in SatCom systems and to define the technological developments needed to make them a reality.
As we continue in pushing the frontiers of technology on Earth, our future forays into space will depend on ambitious missions that will reach for the stars. Remarkable innovations taking shape today will enable us to assemble and service satellites in orbit, extract resources on the Moon, and build a resilient infrastructure beyond our planet. To achieve this, we’ll need space robots that are highly capable, scalable, and intelligent, so they can perform a variety of tasks in challenging environments.
Redwire Space Luxembourg is one of the many ambitious companies in the vibrant NewSpace sector in Luxembourg. They develop cost-effective and modular robotic arms to enable dexterity in orbital and planetary surface operations, hopefully enabling us to service satellites, assemble large telescopes and harness resources on orbit. Right now, they’re focusing on furthering their robotic arm and the underlying technologies that will provide the dexterity and intelligence required to conduct complex servicing,
assembly and in-situ resource utilisation tasks in space. To help them with this task, Redwire Space Luxembourg partnered with the Space Robotics (SpaceR) group at SnT. The partnership will foster research into state-of-the-art perception algorithms and visual intelligence apparatus that will enable the robotic arm to detect, track and handle objects in space. The project is also supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) in the form of a Ph.D. Industrial Fellowship Grant, entitled ‘Modular vision for dynamic grasping of unknown resident space objects’.
“Ideally, the space robots should be able to perform complex tasks autonomously, because human intervention may not always be feasible or possible. What we want is to provide robots with the visual intelligence that will allow them to see, understand and reason about their environment,” explained Kuldeep Barad, the doctoral researcher on this project.
Prof. Miguel Olivares Mendez, head of SpaceR SpaceR research group and Redwire
On Earth, we take gravity for granted, but moving in its absence presents a number of challenges for in-orbit operations. At SnT, our research into space situational awareness explores the ability of a spacecraft to be aware of the position and attitude of space objects surrounding it. This would enable autonomous in-orbit rendezvous for servicing, such as refuelling or de-orbiting. It is crucial to be both accurate and reactive, since a small push between two orbiting systems could cause one – or both – to tumble out of control. Computer vision therefore represents a promising technology for meeting these requirements.
In the partnership between the CVI2 research group and start-up LMO, researchers are exploring how satellites autonomously meet in a rendezvous and perform energy efficient, close proximity, inorbit operations.
The project utilises the Zero-G Lab for its testing, allowing students and researchers the chance to analyse the behaviour of their technologies in an environment that mimics the effects of zero gravity, to help them acquire simulated data and real-life trajectories.
“SnT’s international team and its decade of terrestrial computer vision experience, combined with LMO’s space experience, makes SnT a perfect partner for helping us in our mission to make space safe and sustainable,” said Michel Poucet, CEO of LMO.
In an expansion of their collaboration, CVI2 and LMO will additionally focus their research activity on tackling the growing issue of space debris. The DIOSSA project will utilise autonomous technologies, artificial intelligence and computer vision to provide satellites with the ability to autonomously avoid collisions, inspect objects in space, as well as be able to capture and remove space trash.
Zero-G Lab Björn Ottersten (SnT), Michel Pouchet (LMO), Djamila Aouada (SnT)SnT and the Faculty of Science, Technology, and Medicine (FSTM) jointly launched the Interdisciplinary Space Master (ISM) in 2019, with the support of the Luxembourg Space Agency. This two-year programme offers students a unique project-based learning experience, and has strong links with national stakeholders, including industry.
ISM alumni are equipped with technical and business abilities, enabling them to enter the space sector with confidence upon graduation.
The study programme of the Interdisciplinary Space Master features technical and business lectures from experienced
academic staff as well as external experts from the commercial space industry.
The Master offers students an interdisciplinary education in the following fields:
It is our mission as the University’s ICT research centre to help our scientists realise their ideas and translate them into sustainable businesses.
Founded in 2017, Databourg offers environmental monitoring using satellite networks. The company’s mission is to provide the best rainfall intelligence to business and institutional users, and to be recognised as “The Rain Company”.
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University of Luxembourg
Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust
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February 2023 edition