EDHPC 2025’s Post

Celeste (LEO-PNT) achieves a major milestone: successful End-to-End and Radio Frequency Compatibility Tests ahead of first launch In 2024, GMV was entrusted by the European Space Agency - ESA with a €78.4 million contract to lead the end-to-end development of the Celeste Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (LEO-PNT) demonstrator mission. GMV is responsible for system design, satellite development, ground segment provision, launch coordination, and in-orbit operations and validation, leading a powerful European consortium including OHB System AG, Alén Space, Beyond Gravity, and Indra. GMV, together with its partners, is developing six satellites that will contribute to the complete constellation of the Celeste In-Orbit Demonstrator mission, composed of a total of 12 satellites (10 of flight models, and 2 additional flight model spares that may be also placed in orbit). The first satellite in the series is the Pathfinder-A, a 12U CubeSat technology demonstrator jointly developed by GMV and Alén Space. Its launch is planned aboard a Rocket Lab Electron vehicle from New Zealand within a launch window between mid-December and end of March 2026, marking a major milestone in this forward-looking initiative. On the road to launch, Pathfinder-A has recently and successfully passed an End-to-End and a Radio Frequency Compatibility Test. The End-to-End test confirmed the satellite’s capability to receive Galileo and other GNSS signals, process them for accurate orbit determination and time synchronization, generate and transmit LEO-PNT navigation signals and messages, and deliver them to the Test User Receiver, which was also used during this testing activity and is currently being developed by GMV. As part of the Radio Frequency Compatibility Test it was confirmed that the generated LEO-PNT signals comply with the Signal-In-Space ICD. All these tests were conducted in in an anechoic chamber at ALTER TECHNOLOGY TÜV NORD facilities in Tres Cantos. This milestone confirms that the transmitted signal is aligned with specifications and fully usable by receivers—an essential step in proving the viability of the system. Looking ahead, the full Celeste demonstrator constellation is scheduled to be in orbit by 2027. The mission will also explore interoperability with 5G networks, paving the way for breakthroughs in autonomous mobility, and critical infrastructure. Thank you to ESA for your continued trust and to all the #GMVteam for making this milestone possible.

🌍✨ A step toward the future of navigation The Celeste (LEO-PNT) project has just cleared a major milestone with successful end-to-end testing ahead of its first launch. Why is this important? Today, global navigation relies on systems like GPS or Galileo, which orbit far above us. Celeste adds a new layer, closer to Earth, designed to deliver stronger and faster signals. Congratulations to ESA, GMV, and all the partners driving this forward. 🚀 #Navigation #Space #LEOPNT #ESA #GMV #GNSS #GMVTeam

ESA Launches Groundbreaking Project to Develop Autonomous Navigation System for Mars! 👉 IGiG #UPWr, together with partners from Italy and France, has embarked on a pioneering European Space Agency (#ESA) project to design an autonomous satellite navigation system for Mars. The system will serve as a cornerstone for future crewed missions and the eventual colonization of the Red Planet. 🛰️ Europe’s role in space exploration is expanding rapidly, and ESA’s ambitions are growing accordingly. For the first time, the agency plans to establish a satellite navigation infrastructure on a planet other than Earth – and the chosen destination is Mars. To this end, ESA has selected a consortium to deliver the project “Fundamental Techniques, Models and Algorithms for a Mars Radio Navigation System (MAPS)”. This distinguished consortium brings together world leaders in the aerospace sector, including #CRAS at Sapienza University of Rome (the leader), France’s #CNRS, #IGiG #UPWr, and three major industry partners: #Thales Alenia Space, #Telespazio, and #QASCOM Aerospace & Defence. 🌕 The MAPS consortium will design navigation signal structures, satellite constellations, and a numerical simulator supporting critical operations such as planetary landings, orbital maneuvers, surface launches, and the positioning of aerial and surface vehicles. The group builds on its previous success in developing Moonlight, the navigation and telecommunications system for the Moon. The first satellites of the Mars system are scheduled for launch in 2028, with full operational capability targeted for 2030. 🛰️ Within MAPS, IGiG UPWr will lead analyses of positioning accuracy on Mars and in low orbit, under a variety of operational scenarios – including satellites, drones, aerobots, landers, and rovers – as well as one-way and two-way satellite communication. The team will also design the navigation signal structure to be broadcast by the satellites, incorporating data on constellation-wide satellite positions and predictions, Mars’ rotational parameters, and the position of the planet’s center of mass relative to Earth and the Sun. 📡 Developing a satellite navigation system for Mars presents unique challenges. Unlike Earth or Moon systems, the Martian system must operate with a much higher degree of autonomy. While radio signals reach the Moon in just over one second, the Earth–Mars transmission delay can extend up to 22 minutes, requiring the system to function independently during critical operations. 🚀 The Mars Navigation System is expected to set new benchmarks in planetary positioning, enhance scientific knowledge of Mars, and enable discoveries yet unforeseen. Above all, it will pave the way for human exploration and the long-term colonization of the Red Planet.

Rocket Lab scores 10 more Electron launches. Synspective, a Japanese company developing a constellation of radar imaging satellites, has signed a deal with Rocket Lab for an additional 10 Electron launches, Space News reports. The companies announced the agreement on Tuesday at the International Astronautical Congress, confirming that each launch would carry a single StriX radar imaging satellite. A repeat customer ... Synspective signed a separate contract in June 2024 for 10 Electron launches, scheduled for 2025 through 2027. That was the largest single contract for Electron to date. Rocket Lab notes that Synspective is its largest Electron customer, with six launches completed to date and a backlog of 21 launches through the end of the decade. Synspective aims to place 30 synthetic aperture radar imaging satellites in orbit by 2030. This contract ensures that Electron will continue flying for quite a while. https://lnkd.in/dZBeuDik

We are happy to announce signing of a new agreement with LC60 AI - LatConnect 60 for the delivery of Integrated Mission Services to support their SWIRSAT LEO Earth Observation (EO) satellite constellation. The agreement was formalised during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, at the Western Australia Government booth, highlighting the growing importance of the region as a hub for space innovation. #IAC2025 #IntegratedMissionServices #AlwaysOnAMission ➡️ Read more: https://lnkd.in/dpdsxuqW

We are excited announce our contract with KSAT – Kongsberg Satellite Services to support with mission operations and ground segment services for SWIRSAT, enabling greater capability and capacity development in Western Australia! #IAC2025 #WA #WesternAustralia #Australia #newspace #space #satellites #earthobservation #oil #gas #mining #resources #agriculture #defence #government #climate #carbon #methane #forestry #satelliteimagery #geospatial #geoint #AI #generativeAI #genAI #SWIRSAT

India to Deploy “Bodyguard” Satellites to Secure National Space Assets India is planning to launch a constellation of “bodyguard” satellites — technically known as on-orbit inspection and protection satellites — to safeguard its growing fleet of civilian and strategic spacecraft. The initiative comes after a near-miss in mid-2024 when a foreign satellite passed dangerously close to an Indian remote-sensing satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO, ~550 km altitude), forcing an avoidance manoeuvre. Why “bodyguard” satellites: The system will work as an outer security layer for critical Indian satellites such as: - Communication (GSAT series in GEO), - Earth observation & mapping (Cartosat, RISAT), - Navigation (NavIC), and - Scientific/strategic payloads. Key functions expected: - Active proximity surveillance: Using electro-optical cameras, radar & RF sensors to detect and identify nearby objects down to 10 cm size. - Rendezvous and station-keeping: Electric propulsion (Hall-effect thrusters) and precise orbit control for shadowing/inspection. - Collision avoidance & protective manoeuvres: High-ΔV capability to rapidly change relative position or shield the parent satellite. - Electronic & cyber protection: Likely includes RF monitoring and jamming countermeasures if hostile interference is detected. Programme scale & investment: - Estimated outlay: ₹27,000 crore (≈US $3.2 billion) over 7–10 years. - Fleet size: 20–30 satellites in LEO and GEO guard orbits, some co-orbital inspectors for high-value assets. Integration with ISRO’s Netra SSA network and private tracking startups for real-time conjunction alerts. - First prototype could launch by 2026, possibly piggybacking on PSLV/GSLV missions. Strategic context: India has already demonstrated orbital rendezvous and intercept capability (e.g., 2019’s Mission Shakti A-SAT test). With over 60 active Indian satellites, the collision probability in crowded LEO bands is increasing due to >10,000 tracked debris objects and growing mega-constellations. The initiative mirrors U.S. Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) and French Angels inspector satellites but is tailored for defensive, non-weaponised protection. Officials stress that the system will follow international norms for responsible space behaviour, aiming to protect national assets rather than provoke militarisation.

🇫🇷 🇪🇺 Aldoria is proud to announce that CNES has selected a consortium co-led by Aldoria and a major French industrial company for the EU SST "Attitude Analysis" project. From Sept 2025 to June 2026, we will develop multi-sensor algorithms (optical, radar, passive RF) using machine learning to deliver faster, more accurate attitude estimates for non-cooperative satellites and orbital debris. The project includes the following European partners: 🇫🇷 ONERA - The French Aerospace Lab 🇷🇴 Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy 🇪🇸 Quasar Science Resources S.L. Read the press release https://lnkd.in/e2uQCn4t #eusst #cnes #spacedomainawareness #technology #innovation #europe #spacesafety #spacesituationalawareness #satellite #spatial #spacesurveillance #newspace #machinelearning #onera Alliance NewSpace France GIFAS - Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales Pascal Faucher Nedelcu Dan Alin Ignacio de la Calle Cassien Jobic

Thrilled to share that Septentrio part of Hexagon and Xona Space Systems have signed an MOU to accelerate the adoption of next-era navigation tech, bringing together their strengths in GNSS and low Earth orbit (LEO) positioning. #Navigation #LEO #GNSS #Positioning #Partnership #powerelectr0onics #powermanagement #powersemiconductor https://lnkd.in/dXkVkYWj

⚙️ ESA’s “Pulse”: Revolutionizing Satellite Operations Across Missions ESA has unveiled Pulse, a new mission-independent operational framework designed to streamline mission monitoring and control across its growing constellation of spacecraft. Rather than rely on mission-specific, fragmented tools, Pulse offers a unified logic that links telemetry, event management, data exchange, and execution, enabling faster response, better coordination, and greater situational awareness. Pulse will first roll out on ESA’s Swarm constellation in 2026, and gradually become the backbone for both Earth-orbit and deep space missions. Importantly, it’s released under the ESA Community Licence, allowing access by the wider European space sector without commercial barriers. Built from cross-functional collaboration and iterative validation, Pulse reflects a shift toward a more integrated, agile operational culture. As ESA puts it: “Pulse changes how we see and manage monitoring and control … expanding and easing automation possibilities.” Pulse may not be a flashy mission or telescope, but it’s the invisible infrastructure that could modernize how we operate spacecraft at scale across Europe and beyond. #Space #Innovation #Science #esa