The product is an end-to-end system providing access to specialised EO information streams allowing the agro-food industry to easily ‘plug-in’ and integrate this information in their workflows. The system provides a set of initial customer facing services including:
Crop growth information
Meteorological information and analysis
Soil moisture information
Potato disease risk assessment
Crop type classification
Yield estimation and forecasting
Customers and their Needs
EO PLUG-IN services are tailored to different customer segments and developed in partnership with customers. These customers cover distinct elements of the end-to-end potato supply chain, and engage with major specialist suppliers such as growers and processors.
Targeted customer/users countries
Benelux and selected locations in Eastern Africa.
Product description
The EO PLUG-IN system and its features are strategically designed as a system enabling users to derive any number of solutions, guided through online based step-by-step implementation workflows for establishing specific API data streams.
A dashboard for demonstration purposes was also developed and is provided to specific customers.
From EO Data towards value-added ‘plug-in’ services for the agro-food industry.
Added Value
EO PLUG-IN provides the following added value to customers:
Near-real time, fully remote, and during season indication on the development and stress level for a large number of potato fields
An indication on potential yield
Less field sampling resulting in higher efficiency as well as lower travel and labour costs
Current status
The EO PLUG-IN system is operational and a set of services are already offered to individual customers. An improved vitality indicator is currently being developed with in-situ field data. A GeoVille subsidiary company – Geo4A – was founded and is based in the Netherlands in close proximity to the market and is in constant exchange with existing and potential new customers.
Remote sensing requirements for the natural resources sector demand high data quality and coverage/revisit time. The Mission and Agile Nanosatellite for Terrestrial Imagery Services (MANTIS) mission fulfils these requirements using a compact and agile nanosatellite (12U CubeSat system).
Specific use cases that inform the mission design have been derived from Terrabotics’ experience in delivering tailored information requirements and actionable intelligence to its end-users.
Customers and their Needs
This MANTIS satellite is particularly suitable for energy and mining applications. 60% of resources for these companies can be found in remote and hostile regions, leading to more complex and expensive projects.
Two thirds of these major projects go over-budget or are delayed due to unforeseen risks and hazards. These failings are usually a result of inadequate upfront due diligence, planning and prior knowledge of the challenging operating environments. Actionable intelligence plays a vital role in improving safety, planning and mitigating the risks of these projects.
The MANTIS satellite addresses these challenges with periodic statistical reports on regions of interest. These reports are computed through the latest data processing and machine learning techniques as well as other data sets, such as those derived from the EC/ESA Copernicus Programme.
The satellite obtains high resolution images that will later be combined with lower resolution data that is already available from the Copernicus Programme.
Targeted customer/users countries
The MANTIS satellite images different parts of the world. The sun-synchronous orbit chosen for the MANTIS mission offers frequent revisit times (an average revisit time of four days at the equator), while retaining flexibility to image new areas of interest based on evolving market demands.
Product description
As prime contractor, Open Cosmos Ltd. is responsible for the end-to-end space mission service covering the space, launch, ground and user segments of the mission. Open Cosmos leverages its strategic partnerships with key players in the industry to enable the delivery of services across these segments.
Open Cosmos provides a new generation 12U spacecraft platform. This platform hosts the Integrated Standard Imager for Microsatellites (iSIM-12U), an innovative high-resolution optical payload for EO missions developed by Satlantis Microsats SL.
The payload consists of a compact binocular telescope specifically designed to fit within a volume of 8U, and is ideal for 12U CubeSat standard platforms. The design relies on iSIM technology, comprised by the integration of four key technologies:
A binocular diffraction-limited optical system working at visible and near-infrared wavelength.
A high precision, robust and light structure.
A set of innovative COTS detectors with 2D CMOS sensors.
A high-performance and reconfigurable on-board processing unit with super-resolution algorithms implemented.
Terrabotics’ object recognition and change detection algorithms enable the processing of data on the ground using the latest machine learning techniques. The image below shows the product/system architecture and highlights the main system building blocks, both on a high level.
Added Value
The current space imagery market is not tailored to the energy sectors needs when it comes to legal terms and conditions, performance and availability. The MANTIS mission offers an end-to-end solution dedicated to the energy market by providing simple licensing for end-users, optimised client area coverage and priority tasking.
This MANTIS satellite could be the first of an aggregated constellation operated by Open Cosmos. The constellation would give customers access to diverse types and volumes of information, depending on the number of satellites. This would enable organisations of all sizes and sectors to leverage their own space infrastructure, developed and managed by Open Cosmos. These organisations would also benefit from additional datasets and services from satellites that Open Cosmos manages and operates for others.
Current status
The MANTIS mission has successfully completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone. The Consortium partners are executing activities as part of the critical design phase for the mission. This includes the selection of third party products and services, and executing early engineering integration activities.
ENPULSION is currently selling electric space propulsion systems with a Components-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) version of the integrated thruster Power Processing Unit (PPU).
Discussions with key players of the space industry have shown that these customers need a higher level of electronic part reliability (radiation tolerance), as well as a higher level of product assurance of the overall thruster system.
ENPULSION currently offers electric space propulsion solutions for small and medium-sized satellites from two product families: ENPULSION NANO and ENPULSION MICRO. The ENPULSION NANO R³ is a development product with COTS+ parts based on the flight proven ENPULSION NANO (formerly IFM Nano Thruster). It is also an improvement on the lessons learned during in-orbit verification, ground testing, and customer feedback.
Originally designed for Cubesat application, the COTS+ variant is intended for small satellite applications. The main focus is an upgrade of the electronics to increase reliability and suitability for more demanding space environments. Consequently, a standard-compliant qualification test campaign tracks the development.
For high emission requirements concerning thrust and total impulse, the ENPULSION MICRO R³ is a suitable solution for medium-size satellites found in constellations. This activity includes a qualification test campaign to demonstrate the performance and suitability for the space environment.
Customers and their Needs
The versatility of the ENPULSION NANO and ENPULSION MICRO families results in a wide range of customers. These include academia building student based Cubesats over SMEs, and start-ups demonstrating their satellite missions or electric propulsion for constellations of heritage customers.
Discussions with customers identified requirements regarding environmental loads, performance capabilities, and design aspects. These are considered in the design definition and qualification levels of the two thruster systems.
The main challenge is to design propulsion systems in a one-size-fits-all approach. These systems must respect general space standards and end-user requirements from different backgrounds and countries. They must also keep them sufficiently low in price so that emerging players with budget-constraints can access the space market.
Targeted customer/users countries
All space-fairing countries.
Product description
The ENPULSION NANO R³ (see Figure 1) and the ENPULSION MICRO R³ (see Figure 2) are Field-Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) systems for small and medium-size satellite applications. They are designed based on flight-proven technology originally intended for the New Space market with comparably lower product assurance and verification requirements compared to space heritage providers. Both thruster systems undergo extensive Qualification Tests according to ECSS standards, in order to mitigate technological risks and strengthen the competitiveness of this European solution on the global market.
This includes environmental endurance and performance as well as radiative testing to demonstrate the capacity to withstand more challenging space environments. The test levels are based on standards and feedback from customers and agencies. The qualification test campaigns aim to improve the customer’s trust in the products and to formally raise the TRL. First commercial flight opportunities are negotiated for both thrusters leading to in-orbit verification as an additional test step. Successful campaigns enable series production of both thrusters similar to the existing commercialisation efforts.
FEEP technology is based on solid propellant that is liquefied once in orbit. No pressurised propellant feed systems are required. This decreases the risks and complexity compared to other electric propulsion systems based on xenon, krypton, argon, or hydrogen. The high density of the used indium propellant as well as the high specific impulse inherit to FEEPs yields a compact solution for high total impulses. Reducing volume and mass allows for easier integration into S/Cs leading to decreased costs.
No propellant loading, purging, leak tests, etc. are required at integration level. This aids AIT scheduling and reduces workload. The consequent plug-and-play products are suitable and versatile for many constellation and small satellite applications including those used for EO.
Current status
A review of requirements and standards from customers has been conducted to determine the test spectrum, associated levels, and sequencing to plan qualification test campaigns. This is continually iterated with customers and agencies. Delta designs and analyses leading from the ENPULSION NANO to the ENPULSION NANO R³ (COTS+ variant) and the ENPULSION MICRO R³ have been concluded for the mechanical, thermal, and electrical aspects. Qualification models have been built for the thruster heads, and the PPU electronics are currently procured. Qualification test campaigns are intended to start following some preliminary verification tests.
