News

AlbaPod: the most advanced space-proven PocketQube deployer

The ‘maker’ movement in electronics and the meteoric rise of smartphones have led to a surge in small satellites - such as nano- and picosatellites (picosats are the tiniest of smallsats). But something has to propel these pocket-size payloads into space. The AlbaPod is the first flight-proven six unit (6p) ‘PocketQube’ or picosat satellite deployer, whose successful demonstration was performed under the ARTES Competitiveness & Growth programme.  

New partnership to inspire competitive innovation

A fully reconfigurable, software-defined, standardised satellite for the commercial telecommunications market is under development, with contributions from a new Partnership Project between satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space and ESA.

ESAIL’s first map of global shipping

The ESAIL microsatellite for tracking ships at sea has captured 57 000 messages in its first 24 hours of operation, using advanced on-board processing algorithms.

New satellites to provide innovative space services

A batch of 10 satellites is to be developed following the signing of a three-year Partnership Project between small satellite manufacturer AAC Clyde Space UK and ESA, with co-funding from the UK Space Agency.

ECO – Every Community Online

ECO (Every Community Online) is the fifth project initiated and funded under the ARTES Partner Programme element with the aim of supporting industry-initiated Public Private Partnerships.

Novel flat panel antennas give drones long-range satcom capabilities

A satellite communications antenna which fits snugly into the wing of a UAV or ‘Remotely Piloted Aircraft’ (RPA) for use in long-range missions has now ‘got its wings’  – giving the green light for a variety of civilian applications across the globe.  

Italy uses space to boost healthcare and education

Innovative ideas to use space to improve life on Earth during the coronavirus pandemic are being transformed into reality, thanks to an initiative sponsored by the Italian Ministry for Technological Innovation and Digitalisation, the Italian Space Agency and ESA.

'Extraordinary efficiencies’ with next-generation space solar cell

Telecommunication satellites are demanding ever-increasing power for new technologies. This makes ever-more efficient and lightweight solar generators a must for full electric propulsion satellite platforms. 

AZUR SPACE, German-based company and European leader for multi-junction solar cells, rose to the challenge of developing and qualifying a new cell to meet this rapidly evolving brief. With the support of the ARTES C&G programme, the ‘4G32C’ solar cell has trumped AZUR’s own best-selling product as the first upright metamorphic 4J (4 junction) cell on the market for high end-of-life efficiency in geostationary orbit applications.

A giant step towards satellite interference mitigation with SkyMON

Data-hungry media, like HDTV and mobile services, have made the use of satellites and their broadcasting capabilities crucial for global communications. But in order to offer these services there is a growing number of satellites required, crowding the geostationary arc. This then increases the risk of interference. Atos IT Solutions and Services GmbH, Austria, have sought to address this with ARTES support, introducing a powerful new VSAT Monitoring and Geolocation product.