Company Description

iTUBS is a spin-off off the Technical University of Braunschweig and strongly connected with it. The TU Braunschweig still holds 40% of the shares of iTUBS the other 60% are held by the local University Association (Braunschweigischer Hochschulbund). The main purpose of iTUBS is to establish industry contacts for the TU Braunschweig and help transferring knowledge and technology between industry and scientific institutes. Thus, Institutes of the TU Braunschweig are able to offer their resources to industrial partners.
TU Braunschweig is the oldest institute of technology in Germany: the cornerstone of this modern university was already laid in the year 1745 with the Collegium Carolinum. The computer science at TUBS has a long tradition. As one of the first universities in Germany, TUBS set up computer science courses as early as in 1972.
Its classic main areas are theoretical, practical, technical and applied computer science. In addition, the study of computer science at TUBS offers a wide range of modern applications-oriented sub-areas of computer science, which extends from the computer graphics on embedded systems and computer science to medicine to robotics and ubiquitous computing (ubiquitous information technology).
The Chair of Chip Design for Embedded Systems at TUBS (iTUBS), led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mladen Berekovic, has vast experience in embedded multi-core systems design, processor architecture and reconfigurable processors for DSP applications (Video, Wireless, Security), low-power architectures, mobile robotics and reliable multi-processor systems design. A special focus is placed on advanced hardware accelerator design and software mapping techniques for multi-processor systems.

Role in the project

iTUBS will be the coordinator of the project and lead as such WP6 Project Management. Furthermore, iTUBS will be responsible for WP1 and WP3. iTUBS will contribute to WP2, WP4 and WP5. In WP1 iTUBS will provide programming, algorithm optimization/parallelization expertise. They will also define the system’s software architecture and will contribute to the definition of the system’s hardware architecture and review how it affects programming applications. In WP2, iTUBS will provide inputs and feedback to the mission analysis and results of benchmark activities and propose modifications to applications and algorithms in order to achieve higher performance. In WP3, they will take part in the specification of the system software architecture and provide feedback for the hardware architecture regarding parallel programming support and scalability; they will also contribute to the adoption of a real-time operating system to the management cores and support the integration of RTL functions for processor management tasks. They will also contribute to the definition of the benchmarking methodology and test plans. They will implement the assigned subset of use cases into the software, parallelize and optimize the software, and perform the performance benchmarks. In WP4, iTUBS will examine middleware functionalities and data distribution strategies for space applications. They will include an analysis of space protocols e.g CFDP for integration into the S3NET communication simulation system.

Company Description
DSI Informationstechnik GmbH is a SME, founded in 1997 focused on aerospace technology. The fields of activity are dedicated to the engineering and development of solutions for data handling units, computers, information technologies, control systems and advanced communication systems in aerospace applications, such as mass memory modules, payload data handling systems, on-board computers, cryptographic systems, satellite communications and ground test equipment. DSI employs more than 45 engineers with the firm’s headquarters located within the science park at the Bremen Airport in Germany. DSI is ISO 9001:2008 certified.

Role in the project
DSI will apply its knowhow towards developing the architecture and requirements of a benchmark system regarding payload processing and communication in swarm missions including fractionated sensors. As an expert for communication systems, DSI will focus its activities on the communication simulation system and the corresponding communication benchmark. To support the exploitation of the communication benchmarks results DSI will participate in the effectiveness study.
DSI will participate in all adequate work packages and tasks of the project including dissemination, exploitation and technical coordination. Being a supplier of communication and payload processors for space, DSI will provide to the project its set of requirements and use cases and will be WP Leader of WP4 Communication Simulation and Communication Benchmarks.

Company Description
DLR is the national aeronautics and space research center of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organization for the nation largest project management agency. DLR has approximately 7400 employees working in 32 institutes and facilities at 16 locations in Germany. DLR has also offices in Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
The Microwaves and Radar Institute of DLR contributes with its know-how and expertise in passive and active microwaves to the development and advancement of ground-based, airborne and spaceborne sensors. It concentrates its research work on the concept and development of new microwave techniques and systems, as well as sensor-specific applications. The Institute strength is the execution of long-term research programmes with applications in remote sensing, aeronautics, traffic monitoring and, last but not least, reconnaissance and security. Following a peer review process accomplished by an external board of examiners, the Microwaves and Radar Institute was recognized as a DLR Center of Excellence for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).

Role in the project

WP1: requirement collection, analysis and validation of radar applications; identification of the most suitable radar applications for the system benchmarking; review the concept compute and communication simulation system architectures.
WP2: define a prototype radar formation mission and sensor configuration for a selected radar use case; perform the SAR instrument concept analysis; development and trade-off study of the on-board SAR data processing algorithms; define test cases for the benchmark activities of the concept compute and communication simulation systems.
WP3: verify the requirements specification process and assess that architectural design for the concept compute system; select and deepen all radar application relevant test cases; evaluate benchmarking results.
WP4: contribute to the benchmark and validation plan of the communication simulation system by defining radar application related test activities to the performance of the simulator; support the testing and benchmarking activities
WP5: organise the S3NET Symposium & Summer School

Company Description
CGS is a leading company in Italy for the design, development and integration of Space Systems for over 30 years. CGS is part of a cluster of European firms owned by OHB SE, one of the three Large System integrators recognized by the European Space Agency. CGS main products include turnkey systems, satellites and instruments, for scientific and application missions for the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Among the main recent and current ASI Programmes where CGS has the responsibility of the system is PRISMA, an Hyperspectral Earth Observation Mission currently under development. CGS also develops payloads for ESA on many European missions (e.g. the gravitational waves sensor for the LISA Pathfinder mission, the coronagraph instrument for METIS - Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy) and is prime contractor for various instruments on the EUCLID and Bepi Colombo missions. CGS is also the prime contractor of the Micro Wave Imager (MWI), a conical scan radiometer to be flown on board of the Metop Second Generation satellites. With this ambitious project, CGS aims to be one of the first following the trend that the space world is establishing in the frame of Earth Observation, i.e. the use of low-orbit nanosat constellations.

Role in the project
CGS will lead the Work Package related to the definition of the conceptual designs of the instruments and the mission design approach for the selected cases. CGS will also lead the activities related to the fractionated optical Earth Observation analysis and the effectiveness study regarding the investigated cases. Moreover, CGS will lead the exploitation of the project (Task 5.2). CGS will also participate in analysing downstream needs to collect user requirements turning them into a set of mission use cases and applications, in the mission concept definition, in the benchmarking of the processing system, as well as participating in the dissemination activities.

Company Description
The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel’s primary technological university and the country’s largest centre of basic and applied research. It is ranked among the leading technological universities in the world. The Technion has earned three Nobel prizes and has a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in electronics, information technology, aerospace technologies, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and materials engineering. Technion’s Asher Space Research Institute (ASRI) is Israel’s main space research centre. It places great emphasis on multidisciplinary research, which is carried out both within the institute, and in collaboration with other scientific and technological departments in Israel and in the world. Research activities in space engineering and space science place the ASRI at a focal point in current global space research. ASRI leading lab is the Distributed Space Systems Lab (DSSL). DSSL research team focus on the area of spacecraft formation flying, satellite cluster control, satellite relative navigation and multiple-satellite mission design.
Role in the project

The objective of the Technion’s Asher Space Research Institute and the Distributed Space Systems Lab in S3NET is to achieve breakthrough progress in flight algorithms for fractionated sensors, their implementability, survivability and verification and validation via a gradual perusal of theoretical and applied challenges. The high-level objectives are as follows:
1. Develop methods for semi-autonomous long-duration maintenance of a cluster network, including addition and removal of spacecraft modules to/from the cluster network under collision avoidance constraints.
2. Find ways to share resources across the cluster network with real-time guarantees, including distributed data processing, optimal resource allocation and distributed optimal estimation under time delays.
3. Develop and standardize algorithms for autonomously reconfiguring the cluster to retain critical functionality in the face of network degradation, component failures, or space debris damage.
4. Determine how to carry out a semi-autonomous cluster scatter and regather manoeuvre to rapidly evade space debris threats.

Company Description
Created in 1987, ARTTIC is a European provider of management services, especially in the area of large international collaborative R&D projects. ARTTIC, an SME with more than 60 persons, is a set of companies based in France, Belgium, Germany, the UK and Israel.
ARTTIC’s services include helping clients to establish project feasibility; finding international participants; establishing consortia; managing the proposal development activities; helping negotiate contracts; taking charge of all non-technical management aspects of running projects and helping to disseminate and exploit successful project results.
ARTTIC is currently participating in several FP7 & H2020 projects in various scientific and technical domains including Space, Transport, ICT, Health etc.

Role in the project
In the S3NET project, ARTTIC is work-package leader for the WP5 Dissemination and Exploitation, and a partner in WP6 Project Management.

Company Description
Ramon Chips is a fabless semiconductor company focused on developing unique VLSI / ASIC solutions for space applications. Its silicon proven RadSafe™ technology, comprising rad-hard-by-design (RHBD) libraries of digital cells, IO, memories, clocking etc. and a full-chip methodology for space rad-hard design at the logic and physical levels, provides extremely high immunity to all space radiation effects, while maintaining high density, high performance and low power. The company has expertise in designing digital and analogue radiation-hardened chips from specifications, synthesis of functions and algorithms into robust radiation-tolerant cores, and converting FPGA designs into radiation-hardened ASICs. The company has designed, fabricated, packed, qualified and rad-tested several successful rad-hard ASICs including GR712RC, a dual-core LEON3 SoC for space (in collaboration with Aeroflex Gaisler), JPIC, a JPEG2000 image compression ASIC and a controller for SAR payload.

Role in the project

Ramon Chips will contribute the SNET concept compute system computing platform, based on its RC64 processor, and develop novel software developing tools and methodologies, simulators and prototype hardware. These will be useful in demonstrating a hardware prototype for the project.
The hardware and software platform developed within the MacSpace FP7 project, together with the demonstrated applications of the MacSpace project will serve as a basis for the S3NET project and will become an important exploitation activity of the project.
Ramon Chips will also contribute communication infrastructure, which include building blocks for L1 to L3 of the OSI 7 layer model. Ramon Chips will develop software-defined radio for space standards such as DVB-Sx/DVB-RCSx and on-board digital communication routing. Ramon chips will demonstrate the complete communication infrastructure customised for S3NET project.

Company Description
The Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) is a University, founded in 1863, that teaches technologies and trains students to become researchers in a variety of innovative, specialised subjects as engineers and architects. POLIMI concentrates on quality and innovation in teaching and research training with high international standards, which increasingly find concrete expression in the forging of bonds with business and industry.
The scientific community of Politecnico di Milano is constituted of more than 1300 professors and research fellows, who are employed in advanced research activities at a national and international level. In 2013 the students were 38200.

Role in the project

POLIMI-DAER is in charge of verifying the feasibility and sustainability of the space mission scenarios based on fractionated and distributed sensors, selected according to the user needs.
On the basis of its expertise in mission design and astrodynamics, POLIMI -DAER will take care of identifying the mission and operational requirements as well as the performance requirements and the criteria to trade-off the proposed distributed architectures. In particular, the preliminary launch mass will be identified and strategies to insert the whole flight segment in space will be analysed for fleet robustness and exploitation maximisation.
The trajectory design for the operational phase of the fleet will be performed for constellations alternatives only, under a high fidelity orbit propagator, to tune  the required station keeping profile at the best.