PhySens – intelligent system maintenance and current monitoring

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PhySens – intelligent system maintenance and current monitoring

ESA_BIC_Broschüre_Physens

Initial submission

With increasing automation and demand for energy efficiency, new digital measurement solutions are more pertinent than ever for monitoring and process optimisations. Existing products based on current monitoring lack flexibility and are costly to install. Due to the operating principle, these sensors can only measure the current in a single conductor of a cable. Therefore, these systems are unsuitable for many businesses, especially for retrofits because of cost and complexity. Based on space technology deployed as part of ESA’s Rosetta Mission, PhySens GmbH developed a contactless, non-invasive and easily retrofittable sensor solution for current measurement. By simply mounting the sensor on a cable, it measures the currents in all conductors simultaneously using high-precision magnetic field data. As a result, this new sensor solution can detect and classify anomalies in current profiles caused by e.g. faulty motors or seized bearings in hard-to-access or sealed machinery. This is vital for intelligent load management and predictive maintenance as part of industrial automation.

Development

Winning the INNOspace Masters ESA BIC challenge paved the way for a successful application to ESA BIC Northern Germany. In particular, the collaboration with a regional economic development agency (Starthaus Bremen) as part of the ESA BIC programme increased visibility and generated new sales leads. As a result, the INNOspace Masters provided an initial boost and helped to use the contactless magnetic current sensor in a multitude of sustainable energy applications. Ranging from diagnostic tools for electric vehicle charging to retrofittable load management for heat pumps, the space technology-based systems provide flexible and cost-effective solutions for customers on Earth.

  • Team: from 3 FTE to 5 FTE
  • Incubation in ESA BIC Northern Germany
  • Fields of application: Renewable Energies, Science & Technology, Utilities & Infrastructure Management
  • Customers: B2B

Appraisal

PhySens applies and commercialises a magnetic field sensor technology successfully tested in the ESA Rosetta mission in the terrestrial domain. Since their participation in the INNOspace Masters, the team has greatly developed the technology in a very short time and made it accessible for new applications, e.g. for charging monitoring in electric vehicles.

Dr Katharina Ostaszewski
k.ostaszewski@physens.de

InnoCube = Wall#E & Skith

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InnoCube = Wall#E & Skith

InnoCube

Initial submission

Skith – Skip the Harness (Harnessless Satellite)
The harness for satellites has been necessary so far but also costly, heavy and a major risk factor.
Skith aims to create the first wireless satellite, by using short-range, high-speed real-time miniature radio communication links. By combining modular and fault-tolerant software with ultra-wideband technology from Industry 4.0, a robust and adaptable system will be created.

Wall#E – Fibre-Reinforced Spacecraft Walls for Storing Energy
The idea behind Wall#E involves integrating energy storage functions into the support structures of spacecraft, which will significantly reduce the mass and volume of satellites without sacrificing performance.
To this end, Wall#E utilises fibre-reinforced structures (which enjoy more and more popularity in aerospace engineering) infiltrated with innovative solid-state battery materials. While this project’s initial focus is on satellites, the underlying concept can easily be adapted to launch systems, space stations, and groundbased e-mobility applications.

Development

We were able to realise a research idea from scratch through the funding and support that we got from the German Space Agency/DLR. By winning the INNOspace Masters competition, we were able to build and test a fundamentally new type of satellite, based on a radically different technology. INNOspace Masters enabled the partnership between UniW and TUB to initiate the InnoCube satellite in order to verify the potential of our technology in space.

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) SKith from 4/5 now-6/7 in EFM InnoCube Satellite, Wall#E from 1 now 5 in EFM InnoCube Satellite
  • Team: from 2 FTE plus 2 students assistants now 4 FTE plus 2 students assistants
  • Teams responsible for the single projects teamed up for the satellite project InnoCube funded by DLR
  • 5 publications
  • Fields of application: Meteorology & Climate, Science & Technology, Telecommunications
  • SKITH wireless bus has been accepted for space usage by the German Federal Network Agency

Appraisal

For the INNOcube project, two DLR Challenge winners and overall winners have joined forces to realise a completely novel satellite concept. Two spin-in ideas are combined in one project. The project thus embodies two core objectives of the DLR Challenge and the INNOspace Master: promoting technology transfers between space and non-space, as well as collaborative research projects.

Enrico Stoll
e.stoll@tu-berlin.de


Prof Sergio Montenegro
sergio.montenegro@uni-wuerzburg.de

Dr. Beat

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Dr. Beat

DrBeat

Initial submission

Astronauts are subject to a high level of physical stress in weightlessness. The continuous monitoring of important bodily functions, especially of the cardiovascular system, is therefore urgently required during the stay in space. Findings from space medicine can also be applied to the diagnosis of heart diseases, which are the most common cause of death worldwide. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, the cost of cardiovascular diseases in 2015 amounted to EUR 46.4 billion. Systems currently used for cardiac diagnostics offer only limited possibilities for monitoring high-risk patients or can only be used for inpatient treatment. The “Dr. Beat” project relies on ballistocardiography (BCG), originally developed for space, which can record actual heart function using modern, digital microelectronics. Within the scope of the project, a high-precision and cost-effective BCG sensor system is being developed that can be worn on the body as a “wearable” and enables continuous health monitoring. The extensive signal processing, data evaluation and diagnostics will be automated by means of artificial intelligence (AI) and should not only provide new insights into space medicine but also improve diagnostics and early detection of cardiological diseases in everyday life.

Development

The project encouraged us to continue working on the technology and the potential for marketing was noted by many. However, the project also showed us that a large amount of research is still required before a marketable product can be created, and the project showed us the construction sites along the way. A transfer back to space applications through the connection of the INNOspace Masters to the DLR is now more tangible than before.

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) from 4 – 5/6
  • Team: from 2 FTE during INNOspace Masters to 4 FTE involved in the project
  • Turnover: currently no revenue based on the project, commercialisation expected for 2028
  • Fields of application: Health Management, Science & Technology
  • Medicine
  • B2B targeted for technology in licence, research institutes for further research

Appraisal

The monitoring of vital parameters in astronautical spaceflight also has great potential for preventive health care and for medical care on Earth. The partners of the Dr. Beat project want to harness this potential as a spin-off transfer. In turn, technological advancements also reveal new potential for applications within space travel in the context of the Artemis missions.

MSP – advanced modular production of microsatellites

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MSP – advanced modular production of microsatellites

Mensch-Roboter bei Integration von Satelliten 3

Initial submission

To keep up with the emerging requirements of mass production, mega-constellations and formations of microsatellites, one needs innovative test concepts and production processes. Modern manufacturing techniques from the realm of lndustry 4.0 can open the door to significant productivity gains in high-volume satellite production. The Zentrum für Telematik e.V. (Würzburg) is working on transferring new methods and tools for satellite production into the space sector. The submitted idea is specifically geared towards human-robot collaboration based on the use of a lightweight robot.

Development

The INNOspace Masters was an important encouragement to further elaborate technology transfer of terrestrial Industry 4.0 production technologies to the space environment. It was used to realise multi-satellite systems placed in orbit since 2020. This attracted significant attention to efficiently implement networks of distributed systems, composed of small satellites. Alternative production technologies are further elaborated and compared in the „research factory on small satellites“, which was initiated in 2022. The start-up company S4 – Smart Small Satellite Systems GmbH was founded as a spin-off, growing significantly and having even received responsibility as prime contractor to realise a VLEO. telecommunication satellite for ESA.

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) from 4 to 9 proven in orbit
  • Team: 10 FTE now > 40 FTE with ~20% female
  • Growth directly financed from projects
  • More than 20 publications
  • Awards: Several national and international awards for contributions to small satellite technology development
  • Technology transfer: Spin-in from Industry 4.0 to space

Appraisal

Based on the novel concept for modular small satellite production, the space capability of the satellites manufactured in this way could already be proven. The concept is already being used for more than 20 commissioned satellites and commercialised in the company S4 GmbH. The team was thus able to grow to 40 FTEs – and establish an excellent international reputation with numerous publications.

Prof Dr Klaus Schilling
klaus.schilling@telematik-zentrum.de

QuMSeC – Quantum memories for secure communication

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QuMSeC – Quantum memories for secure communication

QuMSeC – Quantum Memories for Secure Communication

Initial submission

With a turnover of USD 156.3 billion 1, satellite communication is a key component of the global digital economy and is of strategic importance to government and society. The Internet, television, telephony or communication in aviation and shipping rely on highly secure satellite communication networks. However, the encryption methods used in data transmission today are vulnerable, which poses considerable security risks for critical infrastructures in the energy, telecommunications and transport sectors, for example.
Quantum communication generally provides the necessary cyber security for current and future satellite communication systems. However, this has so far been based on the assumption of complete control over the development, manufacture, launch and operation of satellites. The QuMSeC project, carried out by Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Technische Universität Berlin, is intended to set new standards for secure quantum key exchange with the help of quantum storage devices, even for untrustworthy satellites. In the future, customers and users without their own satellite infrastructure should benefit from secure data
communication via satellites.


1Global Space Economy 2018 (Source: Bryce Space and Technology, 2020)

Development

INNOspace Masters kick-started our development on quantum memories for secure communication. This enabled us to obtain further funding on this, with several active BMWK/DLR, BMBF, and DFG funded projects with an overall value of > EUR 1 million.
Recently the results stimulated the founding of a company producing advanced quantum light sources (AQLS UG (haftungsbeschränkt).

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) from 2-5
  • Team: from 3 FTE during INNOspace Masters to 8 FTE working on the solution
  • 3 publications:
    • Optimisation and readout-noise analysis of a warm-vapour electromagneticallyinduced-transparency memory on the Cs D1 line (2023)
    • Simulating quantum repeater strategies for multiple satellites (2022)
    • Proposal for space-borne quantum memories for global quantum networking (2021)
  • Fields of application: Science & Technology, Janik Wolters Telecommunications

Appraisal

The high technological potential of the QuMSeC project can be very successfully advanced by the team at TU Berlin and HU Berlin, also due to the significant team growth and the acquisition of further funding. An important cornerstone for the commercialisation
of the project results in the field of advanced quantum light sources was also laid with the foundation of AQLS UG.

Silent Running – intrinsic structural vibration reduction for carrier rockets using metamaterials

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Silent Running – intrinsic structural vibration reduction for carrier rockets using metamaterials

Silent Running

Initial submission

During the launch and flight of a rocket, vibrations must be reduced to such an extent that they do not damage the payload and structure. Microvibrations interfere with the precision of optical equipment in satellites.
In the Silent Running project, MT Aerospace, OHB-System AG and Fraunhofer LBF pursued the goal of integrating innovative vibration-reducing vibroacoustic metamaterials into the new generations of satellite components and launcher structures in order to resolve the conflicting objectives of lightweight construction and vibration behaviour during the launch and microvibrations
in orbit. Metamaterials combine the advantages of active and passive vibration mitigation and can be used in many industries.

Development

INNOspace Masters and our Silent Running project enabled us to build three space demonstrators with our project partners MT Aerospace and OHB-System AG. In the process, we made sure to take into account the stresses at launch and use space-qualified
materials. We were able to demonstrate that the use of vibroacoustic metamaterials in space is feasible and that the technology offers new opportunities for lightweight construction and vibration reduction.

  • Team: from two 0.5 FTE now six FTE plus 10 students
  • Eight publications
  • Further programmes: Winner IÖB-Challenge: Autobahnen und Schnellstraßen: Lärmlast durch Technologie reduzieren
  • Fields of application: Construction & Civil Engineering, Transport & Logistics, Utilities & Infrastructure Management
  • Testing of business models for a spin-off in the Fraunhofer AHEAD programme
  • Fairs: Space Tech Expo 2021 & 2022, ILA Berlin 2022, Hessen in Space 2023

Appraisal

The development of the Silent Running project is above all an impressive example of the development of a new field of technology:
vibroacoustic metamaterials. In addition to weight reduction due to their light weight, the materials can also be made from
sustainable raw materials. The exploration of applications in other industries underscores the technology‘s potential.

Industrialized Laser Communications for LEO Constellations

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Industrialized Laser Communications for LEO Constellations

Mynaric_Sat_KeyVis_Motiv1_small

Globally, the need for fast, secure and ubiquitous network connectivity is advancing inexorably. Data networks such as the internet are now largely based on infrastructure on the ground which cannot be expanded arbitrarily for legal, economic or logistical reasons. The future, therefore, calls for an expansion of the existing network infrastructure into air and space. This requires laser communication products to establish the necessary data highways for satellite constellations and other meshed networks in air and space. Mynaric strives to enable global connectivity by leading the industrial age of laser communication and making secure and high-speed optical communication widely available. The Nasdaq- and Frankfurt-listed company produces standardised optical communications terminals for air, space and mobile applications at scale. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with additional locations in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C.

Development

Mynaric was founded in 2009 with the goal of commercialising wireless laser communication systems. Initially working with customers on demonstrations for airborne scenarios, Mynaric soon started to focus on mass manufacturability of its products and the space market. With the vision to become a high-volume manufacturer for laser communications the company listed on Frankfurt stock exchange in 2017 and since then grew rapidly – establishing sites in the United States and completing a secondary listing on Nasdaq in 2021. With established manufacturing capabilities and a range of reputable customers in backlog Mynaric is today excellently positioned for continued growth in the years to come.

  • Team: more than 300 FTE from over 40 nations
  • Products: CONDOR optical communications terminals for applications in
    low Earth orbit, HAWK optical communications terminals for airborne and terrestrial applications
  • Markets: North America, Europe, Japan
  • Customers: Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, L3Harris, Loft Federal, Telesat Government Systems, Capella Space, Warpspace and more

Appraisal

The development of Mynaric is an extraordinary success story. Winning best submitted idea at the INNOspace Masters Awards in 2015/16, Mynaric developed from a start-up and alumni of ESA BIC Bavaria to an internationally leading and stock-listed provider of a key technology for current and future space systems. It is successes like Mynaric that showcase the impact of supporting start-ups on their growth path.

Deployables Cubed – actuators for nanosatellite applications

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Deployables Cubed – actuators for nanosatellite applications

Deployables Cubed

Initial submission

The aerospace sector is trending towards small, standardised satellites (CubeSats) that offer affordable access to space. Their standard edge length of 10 cm does present a disadvantage, however, as it significantly limits the missions these satellites can support. To get around these limitations, deployable structures like antennas or sails are being used, which are deployed once a satellite is in orbit. This opens the door to high-performance applications that are typically only possible with large satellites. Initiating this deployment requires special actuators such as hold-down and release mechanisms. Unfortunately, European actuators are too large for this purpose, and American products are subject to export restrictions. To solve this problem, Deployables Cubed – a new space company at ESA BIC Bavaria – is developing pin-puller and release nut actuators to ensure Europe’s independence with regard to these small actuators and the deployable structures that they make possible. The company plans to establish simple, light, and reliable aerospace actuators on the market and offer them to a broad range of customers.

Development

The expectation was greatly exceeded. Development of products with a USP in ease of usability, availability with a COTS approach where products are delivered within 2 weeks. TRL 9 now achieved for the release actuators, with 14 already flying in space and over 100 sold to customers gearing up to launch them to LEO, GEO, the Moon (incl. landing), Mars and deep space (asteroids), as well
as on almost every SpaceX Transporter mission (last on on Transporter 8 in June 2023).

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) development from 2/3 to 9
  • Team: from 4 FTE in 2019 to 21 FTE in 2023, 40 FTE expected end of 2023
  • 2020 Winner ESA Global Market Challenge as the best up-stream company in Europe
  • Contracts from customers and ESA for develop ments for solar arrays, actuators, radiators andin space manufacturing reflectarrays › Market split: 75% US, 16% Europe, 5% Oceania, 2% Japan
  • Turnover: >3 year over year (YOY) increase  every year
  • Customers: constellation builders, satellite builders, payload builders, subsystem builders, launch providers

Appraisal

DCUBED – Deployable Cubed GmbH exemplifies the characteristics of a dynamic and forward-thinking German New Space scale-up. Its rapid growth has propelled it from a small start-up with 4 employees to a scale-up/SME employing up to 40 individuals. Its products have gained global recognition and are set to be featured on numerous upcoming SpaceX transporter launches.  Furthermore, the versatility of its actuators and deployables hasexceeded initial expectations, allowing for a wider range of applications. This remarkable progress highlights the company‘s impressive development.

Thomas Sinn
thomas.sinn@dcubed-space.com

From looking for life on Mars to saving lives on Earth

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From looking for life on Mars to saving lives on Earth

Bild1

Initial submission

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely and 1 million die even though 75% could have been saved if they had been given proper care. However, modern neonatal care is too complex and costly to be given to all, and simpler, safer, and cheaper medical technology must be developed to end preventable child mortality. A good example of this need is blood gas monitoring, which is an important method to monitor the health of preterm infants, but suffers from considerable complexity and safety problems that limit its usefulness. For example, it requires the skin to be heated to harmful levels and needs to be attached with strong adhesives that risk tearing the skin. We use patented gas sensor technology that we initially developed to look for signs of past or present life on Mars to perform blood gas monitoring in a completely novel way. Thanks to this sensor’s unique properties, our prototype requires neither heating nor adhesives to perform the measurements and, hence, can facilitate both safer and simpler monitoring of the infants’ health.

Development

Getting to the finals of the ISM definitely strengthened our CV and has been excellent recognition that we can promote when reaching out to investors and other stakeholders. We use sensor technology from planetary exploration to improve health monitoring in neonatal care. Preterm birth is the most common cause of death among children under 5, and eliminating preventable deaths in this group is central to the UN‘s Health Sustainability Goal. Our solution can only play a small role in achieving this, but, together with others, we can.

  • TRL (Technical Readiness Level) from 4 to 5
  • Team: still 3 part-time, as participation only in 2022
  • Turnover: EUR 10,000-20,000 per year
  • Markets: EU, US
  • Fields of application: Public Health Management
  • Further programmes: regional Bona Postulata prize; space start-up pitch competition at the Space2Business conference in Prague 11/2022
  • Customers: Institutional customers

Appraisal

The exploration and use of space, the development of the technologies required for this and their transfer to terrestrial applications have always been a main motivation for space flight. This has always been a key motivation behind Airbus‘ commitment to space. Fourth State Systems‘ neonatal diagnostics is an outstanding example of this technology transfer. The use of its gas sensor technology enables easy monitoring of newborns even under suboptimal conditions. This can save the lives of many premature babies.

SPACEOPTIX GmbH – Free-form metal optics for new space applications

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SPACEOPTIX GmbH – Free-form metal optics for new space applications

Spaceoptix

Initial submission

The rapidly increasing number of commercial satellites, with some 25,000 small satellites for Earth observation and communication services alone in the next few years, poses a completely new scaling problem for component and subsystem suppliers. In addition, Earth observation as well as laser and quantum communication increasingly require high-quality optical subsystems with nanometre precision, such as telescopes, spectrometers or pointing mirrors, to enable high-resolution observation data or increased transmission speeds. SPACEOPTIX GmbH develops and manufactures high-quality opto-mechanical components and systems made of metallic substrates. Compared to alternative materials such as glass or ceramics, the metal optical mirrors and mirror systems offer significantly reduced manufacturing and assembly costs and, by using free-form optical system designs, an excellent ratio between optical imaging quality, mass and volume. As a Fraunhofer IOF spin-off, the aim of SPACEOPTIX GmbH is the technology
transfer of 20 years of applied research in the field of metal optics to industrial standards.

Development

The participation was in a very early stage in parallel to the founding of SpaceOptix in 2020. It supported the awareness of benefits
and opportunities of metal optics for space applications. Especially the collaboration with OHB was positive and resulted in an ESA GSTP project as subcontractor of OHB System AG – together with Fraunhofer IOF the development of the telescope design for a compact hyperspectral imager with the aim of exploiting the unique advantages of free-form surfaces for use on a small satellite platform. The optical system is based on a three-mirror anastigmat (TMA) design.

  • In-house development „TLX80“ Telescope series for optical laser communication in space
  • Customised developments
  • Products range from optical metal mirrors up to 500 mm for applications from extreme ultra-violet to far infrared, as well as integrated mirror telescopes for EO and optical communications
  • Other projects: e.g. ESA GSTP project, ESA project on a multi-receiver optics, DLR project on a transmit/receive optics for quantum key distribution with “CubEniK“
  • 2500 optical mirrors since 03/2021, of which > 200 mirrors in various comm. instruments in space
  • 100% owned by the founding team
  • From 4 founders to currently 10 FTE
  • Turnover approx. EUR 1.6m in 2022

Appraisal

SPACEOPTIX GmbH is a Fraunhofer spin-off founded in early 2020, making use of 20 years of experience in the development of
optical metal components to offer competitive, low-cost products for space applications. The design and development of complex
optical instruments is one of OHB’s core competences – that’s why SPACEOPTIX has already been a partner to OHB for many years.

Dr.-Ing. Matthias Beier
matthias.beier@spaceoptix.de