CENSSS Partners

CENSSS draws together a consortium of leading industrial organisations across Aerospace industry. In CENSSS, these companies work with researchers from the University of Oslo, FFI and UCLA.

Jotne Connect is a member of the Jotne group, specializing in system/product (PLM) information and Open Simulation Data Management, technologies required to successfully build your Digital Twin. Since 1994, the company has developed database solutions to handle product standards such as ISO 10303 STEP, PLCS, AIA/ASD S-Series, ECSS etc. These are open specifications with public availability used by aeronautics, space, and defence related industries to manage information about complex systems. Jotne prod ucts are used by clients all over the world, including Airbus Defence and Space, Leonardo, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, the European Space Agency and many other leading aeronautics, space, and defence contractors. In addition, many high-end software vendors trust in Jotne solutions.

Jotne has a strong focus on Digital Twins, a subject Jotne want to inject and further explore with in the CENSSS activities. Space programs are managed by large companies facing considerable integration challenges, both in-house and externally. Product components are often made in different countries, and when new factories are built, other companies may be responsible for maintaining the product in question. Using Standard Based Digital Twins based on open and publicly available specifications makes it easier to trace products and sensor information, and to integrate these in a well-arranged manner. This improves data exchange, sharing and archiving processes, cutting both time and cost, yet improving quality.

KONGSBERG Satellite Services, (KSAT) is a world-leading provider of ground station- and earth observation services based on optimized ground station locations and solutions for satellites in Low Earth Orbit. We have more than 50 years history in ground station services and a 20-year track record of advanced near real-time monitoring ser vices using multiple satellites. The KSAT Global Ground Station Network consists of more than 20 stations around the world, providing unique uplink/downlink capabil ities, enabling a cost-efficient, flexible, and optimized ground segment solution tailored to the specific needs of our clients.

KSAT participation in CENSSS fits well with our ambition to extend our service portfolio in new and innovative technology areas, with focus on support for the emerging SmallSat/NewSpace industry. This includes efficient mission control and command services, optical space-to-ground communication, deep space communi cation and “Lunar” network, and generally to support a national R&D based effort to build, launch, and operate an innovative NewSpace EO satellite.

Norsk Elektro Optikk A/S (NEO) was established in 1985 as a privately-owned research-oriented company within the field of electro-optics. The founders had their scientific and technical background from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, at that time the leading research organization in electro optics in Norway. The company has since its start grown to be the largest independent research and development organisation in electro optics in Norway and has in addition established itself as a manufacturer of advanced electro optical products for an international market.

The hyperspectral imaging activities at NEO started in 1995 with the HISS (Hyperspectral Imager for Small Satel lites) project for ESA. The R&D activities in hyperspectral imaging have been internally funded through commer cialization of the technology together with participation in several EU projects, as well as projects funded by the Ministry of Defense, the Norwegian Research Council, etc. Today, HySpex is established as an industry-leading brand for both airborne and ground-based hyperspectral imaging. HySpex sensors are renowned for their stability, flexibility and superior data quality. In spring 2024, space was established as a new business area, and NEO has cur rently several ongoing space related activities.

The company has invested in laboratory and test equip ment relevant for the activities for developing high-end hyperspectral cameras. The laboratories are equipped with instrumentation necessary for manufacturing, calibrating, testing, repairing, diagnosing and servicing hyperspec tral cameras. Additionally, NEO has a climate chamber, electronics development laboratories and a mechanical workshop. Since January 2025, NEO also has an opera tional clean room ISO class 7, where a TVAC chamber will be installed during spring 2025. NEO is certified to the ISO 9001:2015 International quality standards. NEO’s motivations for participating in the CENSSS:

Product development, in order to remain at the forefront in the field of hyperspectral imaging.

Market expansion following the “New Space” develop ment approach.

EIDEL is an engineering company established in 1966 specialized in advanced hardware and software solutions across the space, defense, and civil industries. The com pany boasts a rich history of engaging in scientific and environmental research, working in close partnership with academic institutions. EIDEL’s expertise lies in telemetry, data acquisition, encryption, and remote control tech nologies in addition to space systems engineering and defense security requirements. Currently, the company employs 43 individuals and generates an annual revenue of approximately 90 million NOK (2023).

EIDEL offers services from Space Mission Design, develop ment of space subsystems to Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) of space-grade instruments and nanosatellites, utilizing its laboratory and clean room facilities. Lever aging its heritage, expertise, and the opportunities seized within the space segment, EIDEL has laid the groundwork for continued expansion in the space market. Through its involvement in CENSSS, EIDEL aims to bolster the Nor wegian Space industry by contributing its vast knowledge in developing new capabilities and capacities.

EIDEL’s contributions to CENSSS include its expertise in electronics for sensos, communication, instrumentation, and integration, alongside the development of new satellite platform communication interfaces. The company also aspires to become a key AIT provider within the consor tium. Furthermore, EIDEL supports student initiatives, offering thesis opportunities for both Master’s and PhD candidates, using these theses as a means to scout for future employees. Participation in CENSSS also opens avenues for EIDEL to forge new partnerships within the consortium, thereby enhancing its competitive edge for international proposals.

The University of Oslo (UiO) is Norway´s oldest and high est internationally ranked research- intensive university. The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MN) is a steward of a long- standing tradition of knowledge built on collegial values and free, independent research. The Faculty conducts research and education at a high international level and has extensive collaboration with external partners, both nationally and internationally.

The Department of technology systems (ITS) at MN was established in 2017 when UiO took over the activities of the University Graduate Centre at Kjeller (UNIK). UNIK was a foundation for collaboration between the research institutes at Kjeller and UiO and NTNU on education at the Master´s and PhD level. As part of its commitment to advancing knowledge in space systems, the Department of Technology Systems launched the Master’s program in Space Systems in the autumn of 2023, offering students a comprehensive curriculum designed to meet the evolv ing needs of the space industry. This program represents a significant addition to UiO’s academic offerings and underscores its dedication to fostering expertise in space exploration and technology

FFI is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of defence and is the prime institution responsible for defence related research and development in Norway. Its principal mission is to carry out applications-oriented research to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces and the defence sector in general.

The Institute provides counsel on possibilities and chal lenges connected to the procurement and use of military equipment and develops new solutions when necessary.

FFI develops small satellite pathfinders spanning from the mission concepts through systems and payload develop ments to pilot demonstrations on orbit. The missions are mainly for national government purposes. Thus, we are interested in details of payload development from design through MAIT to tests in space, including operations con cepts and data exploitation. Work packages 1-3 are of larger interest to us than the others, although some synergies with satellite missions could be extracted from them too.

Our missions to date have depended on platform and inte gration in other countries (Canada, Denmark, Lithuania). We hope to see CENSSS contributing to enable Norwegian industry to assemble small satellite systems and prepare them for launch in Norway, essentially gaining more systems competence. Our experience and knowledge are available to contribute towards that end.

We also see CENSSS as an important tool for recruiting young scientists and engineers to the Norwegian space ecosystem of companies, research institutes and academia.

Integrated Detector Electronics AS (IDEAS) develops application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and systems for radiation detection and imaging applications. The company was founded in 1992 with a strong background in applied physics, radiation detector instrumentation and electrical engineering. The company headquarter is located in Oslo. IDEAS’ products are used in industrial applications, nuclear and space science.

With more than 20 years of space heritage, our products help to miniaturize complex instruments, reduce power consumption and enable certain instrument types to be used on satellites. In addition to ASICs, we develop instrument systems for terrestrial and space applications.

With CENSSS we want to create business related to space activities based on scientific knowledge and engineering methods. We intend to use the company’s existing know how on terrestrial applications and adapt it to the space environment or applications. We will also seek to exploit the technologies and know-how developed in CENSSS for applications on earth.

With IDEAS sensing technology we will contribute to develop methods for In Situ Resource Utilization as well as infrared imaging and spectroscopy for earth observa tion. We are proud of being a partner in CENSSS which brings together top academic researchers and businesses in the field of space sensors. This is a great opportunity for IDEAS to contribute to innovation and value creation in Norway in this field.

With the flick of a switch, any ship can opt-out of legacy tracking systems to perform illegal activities. To highlight this activity Vake deliver actionable maritime insights to authorities and decision-makers. Vakes ML models are trained on ship activity from millions of global satellite data points, providing holistic insight across data sources. The company's core technologies are image processing, data fusion, big data processing, cloud and Machine Learning. The commercial goal is to support our customers in making the ocean more transparent and safe.

In CENSSS:

Our research goal is to extract unprecedented insight from satellite data, made possible through combining automatic multi-source analysis and domain expertise. We want to share our knowledge on big data insights with the centre, and explore the boundaries of real-time delivery through on-board inference.

Through synergies and partnerships with centre participants, we will develop the next generation of smart satellite systems. We will continue to aid Master and PhD students, and strengthen the capabilities of the Norwegian space ecosystem.

Projects in the pipeline:

ESA IODs (with S&T and NEO)
User testing (with BarentsWatch)
ESA Environmental Crimes
Copernicus Incubation

Our business is Earth Observation within the fields of Scientific Data Processing and Intelligent Software Applications.

Our vision

Better data insights for a safer life on earth

Our mission is two-fold

S[&]T Norway provides software and processors for new satellites to the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Ecosystem for SmallSATs.
S[&]T Norway process and analyse satellite images for monitoring the environment, applying advanced machine learning.

S[&]T Norway is a complete SW provider for space applications

A. On-ground satellite systems – instrument data simulation, processors for handling instrument data from raw data to use in applications, platforms with processing tools for algorithms and processors development, platforms for data access and handling

B. On-board satellite systems – satellite instrument pro cessors filtering out useful data, pre-process data (image equalization, data harmonization), accomodation of machine-learned applications, compress and downlink to Earth

C. Adding value to satellite data – products and services – extracting useful information to provide digital maps with analysis tooling for monitoring state and changes in our natural environment

On-going projects with CENSSS partners

Product development on S[&]T On-board SW platform with toolkit in the following projects;

• Følgemidler contracts with IDEAS and NEO

• ESA In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) projects FAUBAI + REMIS + HYPERNOR + N-IOD with UiO, Vake, NEO and Eidel

• In addition we supervise CENSSS candidates and will support CENSSSAT missions

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) – Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences One major collaborating research partner is the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences at Uni- versity of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA's Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences is a preeminent academic center for studies of the Earth and Planets. It includes over thirty full-time faculty, sixty graduate students from around the world, and forty researchers engaged in a wide range of research extending from the center of the Earth to planetary sys- tems surrounding other stars. The department maintains strong involvement in domestic and international space missions, including providing instruments and scientific leadership for DAWN, Artemis, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Insight, and Europa Clipper.

The proposed involvement in the Center for Inno- vation is consistent with the overall mission of the University of California as a center of higher learning to provide long-term societal benefits through the discovery of new knowledge, and the transmission of advanced knowledge through the training of students. The key contact point will be Professor David Paige who has a long record of accomplishment of developing planetary missions. These developments have been in collaboration with both industry and government-run facilities like Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. UCLA is located close to the major New-Space companies leading the technological development. We foresee an exchange of both Post Doc’s and PhD’s between CENSSS and both UCLA and JPL.

A world where the Earth and Moon are one ecosystem.

Life on Earth in the future will not be sustaina- ble without satellite-based space infrastructure. Communications, agriculture, transportation, finance, environmental sustainability, as well as a variety of industries will all depend on this extraterrestrial infrastructure. Furthermore, its importance will continue to rise as technology continues to evolve with innovations such as IoT and self-driving vehicles.

How should we develop space infrastructure to make it sustainable and efficient? The key is how we use space resources.

At ispace, we’ve turned our attention to the Moon. By taking advantage of lunar water resources, we can develop the space infrastructure needed to enrich our daily lives on earth—as well as expand our living sphere into space. Also, by making the Earth and Moon one system, a new economy with space infrastructure at its core will support human life, making sustainability a reality. This result is our ultimate goal, and our search for water on the Moon is the first step to achieving that goal.

However, we face many challenges. While tech- nology is important, it alone can’t overcome every difficulty. Finance, law, policy, science, education, and environmental conservation all comprise a social system that must integrate into the planning process. Our vision has attracted the attention of many potential stakeholders around the world who we need to succeed at creating this new ecosystem.

Lynkeos Technology Ltd. is the world leader in cosmic ray muography for the characterisation of nuclear waste, and is pioneering the development of muography for inspecting and monitoring large-scale industrial and ageing concrete structures. This passive 3D imaging tech nique uses naturally occurring background radiation in the form of muons—subatomic particles generated in the upper atmosphere by cosmic ray interactions. Lynkeos’ innovative technology applies muons to address some of the most complex challenges facing modern society.

Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Glasgow and a £4.8 million UK Nuclear Decommission ing Authority research programme, Lynkeos completed the world’s first deployment of a CE-certified muogra phy system in 2018: the Lynkeos Muon Imaging System (MIS). Initially designed for the inspection of 500-litre intermediate- level nuclear waste containers, the system has also been used to support quality assurance in new waste encapsulation methods, including Veolia’s GeoMelt® In-Container Vitrification™.

While Lynkeos’ primary activities currently lie within the nuclear sector, significant opportunities exist in civil engineering, land remediation, and geophysical applications. These markets require lighter, modular, low-voltage portable MIS systems suitable for deployment in complex and sometimes hostile environments. Through its col laboration with IDEAS, Lynkeos identified the relevance of space technologies and sees CENSSS as an ideal plat form for mutual benefit through terrestrial applications of space-derived innovations. The company has already submitted an application to the European Space Agency for funding to develop a mobile MIS prototype using IDEAS’ space-grade electronics. Lynkeos also sees potential in exploring space-based applications of its muography technology. The company looks forward to engaging with CENSSS partners to assess the feasibility of integrating muon detection systems in orbital platforms, lunar landers, or planetary missions. Lynkeos brings to the consortium resources and capabilities in simulation, imaging, and interpretation. The company is prepared to support relevant CENSSS activities with expertise in core physics, concept generation and evaluation, system design and development, and environmental and radiation considerations. The collaboration is expected to yield benefits both for Lynkeos and for the broader CENSSS community.

Technische Universität Dresden (TUD) is one of Germany’s leading technical universities and has been designated a “University of Excellence” by the German government. With over 34,000 students and a strong interdisciplinary research profile, TUD is known for its strategic partner ships with research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Society, Max Planck Institutes, and ESA. The university has a long tradition in high-impact engineering and sci entific innovation.

At CENSSS, TUD is represented by the Chair of RF and Photonics Engineering, led by Professor Dirk Plettemeier. The Chair brings extensive expertise in space instrumen tation and sensor systems, with a focus on ultra-wideband ground-penetrating radars (GPR), radar sounders, and antenna systems for interplanetary missions. Among other accomplishments, the group developed the GPR antenna for ESA’s WISDOM experiment on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover and has conducted detailed system-level design and integration for planetary exploration missions.

The Chair’s research spans the full technological pipe line, from numerical simulations and wave propagation modelling to signal processing, environmental testing, and hardware integration. Facilities include a dedicated anechoic chamber for antenna measurements and envi ronmental chambers for testing spacecraft electronics.

In CENSSS, TUD aims to contribute to research and development in radar-based sensors, multi-sensor integration, and robust antenna design for space and planetary applications. In addition to planetary exploration, TUD is engaged in the development of sensor systems for terrestrial applications, including medical imaging, THz sensing, and microwave photonics.

With more than 25 years of experience in collaborative space projects with ESA and NASA, TUD is well positioned to strengthen the European research community’s capacity to design, test, and operate next-generation space sensors. The university is also deeply committed to education and technology transfer, supporting innovation and industrial uptake of research results

UiT The Arctic University of Norway, represented by the Department of Electrical Engineering (IET), has more than two decades of experience in space-related research and education. The department holds particular expertise in satellite technology, control systems, mechatronics, communications, electronics, and radar technology.

UiT brings leading competence in the development of millimetre-wavelength radar technology for detecting and characterizing millimetre-sized space debris – a rapidly growing concern in the space industry. They also have significant experience in satellite-based sensing and the use of differential drag for precise positioning and formation flying.

Through the QBDebris (FRIPRO/NFR) and ESA Prodex projects, UiT collaborates with CENSSS to explore and test these technologies in orbit. Planned activities include in-orbit experiments on board CENSSAT-1, where both the space debris radar and the differential drag-based control system will be demonstrated in a relevant space environment.

With their unique combination of technical expertise and hands-on experience, UiT strengthens CENSSS’ capabilities in space debris monitoring, radar technology, and satellite manoeuvring, creating valuable synergies with the consortium’s existing partners.