GNOSIS Newsletter 25

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GNOSIS Newsletter #25

Welcome to our autumn newsletter, featuring details of our activities and other news and events on sustainability in space.

AI for Space Safety and Sustainability - New Research Initiative

The University of Strathclyde has been awarded funding from the UK Space Agency to develop AI technologies that will enhance space safety and sustainability. The money was awarded under the first phase of the UK Space Agency’s £20 million International Bilateral Fund investments, which is aimed at helping British organisations link up with the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Singapore, South Africa and more to form collaborations that will progress space research and catalyse investment in new technologies.

The ultimate goal of the AI for Space Safety and Sustainability project is to set up an International Institute on AI for Space Safety and Sustainability that will accelerate the development of AI technologies from concept, at early technology readiness levels, to adoption in the space sector. Strathclyde will work with others including Arizona University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Waterloo and Canadian company Columbiad Launch Services Inc to lay the foundations of such an Institute.

The project aims to demonstrate the impact of a selected number of emerging AI technologies on the sustainability of the space sector. This includes:

Digital Operations Assistants
Space Object Classification and Characterisation
Space Object Behavioural Analysis
Collision Avoidance Automation
Autonomous Close Proximity Operations

However, there are many more areas of application in which AI can play a key role. Therefore, the project will begin with horizon scanning to establish which technologies can be adopted in the short term with maximum benefit to space sustainability. Some of those will then be taken forward with work to escalate their technology readiness levels and bring them closer to adoption.

Professor Massimiliano Vasile, Professor of Space Systems Engineering and Director of the Aerospace Centre of Excellence, in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Strathclyde, would like to invite members of GNOSIS with an interest in this area to participate in a short online survey on the technology readiness levels of various AI technologies with regards to space safety and sustainability.

Take Survey

The survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete.

All responses will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Space Sector Skills Survey 2023

This report into space skills across UK businesses, government and academia follows a UKSA impact assessment into the sector.

The European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Charter

GNOSIS have been contributing to the European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Charter Co-development workshops.

Facilitated by ESA’s PROTECT Accelerator, the Zero Debris Charter initiative reflects ESA Member States’ ambitions to drive major commitments on space debris prevention, mitigation and remediation.

The initiative was launched at the Paris Air Show in June 2023 with the support of Airbus Defence and Space, OHB and Thales Alenia Space – with the intent to foster a community of proactive actors to work towards collectively defined ambitious, meaningful and measurable targets for 2030.The Charter aims to connect high-level global discussions with concrete technical developments enabling safe and sustainable space operations.

Workshop discussions to date have indicated a general convergence of views of the players involved in promoting safe and sustainable practices in space operations.

In addition to discussing the issues of debris generation and the impact of debris on space and terrestrial environments, workshop participants have also raised the need to create further opportunities for knowledge and information exchange at global level. GNOSIS offers an excellent platform for that and we will look at how best to engage members in the Charter’s ongoing development.

The Zero Debris Charter will be presented at ESA’s Clean Space Industry Days event which will be held October 16-20^th in the Netherlands. Information and registration, which is free of charge can be found here. Registration closes on October 8^th.

UK SPACE CONFERENCE 2023

21 – 23 November, at ICC Belfast

The UK Space Conference is a significant biennial event for the UK Space sector.

The event unites the UK and international space communities, such as government, industry, and academia. The conference provides a platform for the space sector to exchange ideas, plans,and partnerships that encourage development and success in the emerging spaceage.

Dates For Your Diary

See our Events Calendar for details of all the upcoming GNOSIS Events, as well as other events related to sustainability in space. The Calendar also provides links to content from previous GNOSIS events, so you can revisit or catch-up on anything you may have missed.

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