NSSPI
The National Space Subsystems and Payloads Initiative (NSSPI) aims to advance space technology development through collaboration, expertise, and research, positioning Ireland as a recognised hub of space excellence.
Overview
The National Space Subsystems and Payloads Initiative (NSSPI), funded by €7.9 million from the Irish Government's Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, aims to advance space technology development through collaboration, expertise, and research, positioning Ireland as a recognised hub of space excellence.
The project which began in March 2024 is being carried out through a partnership between the UCD Colleges of Engineering & Architecture and Science, and six industry partners, including Réaltra, Ubotica, Altera, Mbryonics, Equal1 and ÉireComposites.
To achieve its goal, an integrated software and hardware platform is being developed to streamline and mitigate the risks of integrating new consortium technologies into spacecraft. This platform includes model-based satellite design, hardware-in-the-loop satellite testing, payload integration and testing, and mission simulation tools. The industrial payloads focus on optical communication terminals, onboard computers/payload processors, and quantum computing payloads.
Our Research Areas
The project is organised into three clusters:
1) Optical Communications for Space
2) Autonomous Smart Satellites
3) Spacecraft and Payload Modelling, Simulation, Assembly, Integration and Test research support
The consortium members for the Optical Communications for Space Cluster (Altera, ÉireComposites, mBryonics, UCD) are using optical communications to interconnect satellites on orbit and to transport data between space and Earth. Similar to our fibre networks here on Earth, this will enable high capacity data transport backbone on orbit, reducing the need for multiple ground stations and meeting the capacity needs to power the Internet of Space. This Cluster will focus on the development of an Optical Ground Station (OGS) with optical phased array ground terminal with integrated photonics adaptive optics.
In the Autonomous Smart Satellites Cluster, a controller that enables Smart Autonomous Space assets e.g CubeSats, that have the hardware and software capacity to make their own decisions in real-time [AI controlled CubeSats], will be developed. This intelligence will apply to both the control of the CubeSat and to the data it is capturing, so CubeSats with this technology will be able to self-manage. The cluster will also deliver an Engineering Qualified Model (EQM) of a single board On Board Computer (OBC) with integrated AI Acceleration for CubeSats, enabling the on board processing of data specific and other AI applications, thus allowing the generation of Real Time, Actionable data on orbit.
The Spacecraft and Payload Modelling, Simulation, Assembly, Integration and Test research support Cluster will develop Satellite System Models in both virtual and virtual/hardware/software hybrid form to support consortium technology developments. These sophisticated and representative system models will allow the development of payloads by representing a spacecraft and allowing interfaces to the SME technology to be developed. The models will primarily be for smaller platforms [6U, 12U CubeSat form factor], but will be scalable to larger spacecraft.
Meet Our Project Team
Find out more about our project team members below.
