08/02/2022
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If we were to talk about our bodies in the technical terms that we typically use to talk about spacecraft, our bones, muscles and ligaments would be our ‘hardware’, our brain the ‘central processing unit (CPU)’, and our nervous system the ‘software’.
Using our software, humans store knowledge, think, and send and receive commands. Considering a spacecraft in this way, it becomes clear that our focus should not only be on improving the physical hardware, but also the software that connects everything together and enables isolated parts to function as one unit.
This is why we are seeking your ideas for new software concepts to bring the smart satellites of tomorrow to life. The call, which is being run through ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP), targets two types of ideas – those that focus on improving how we develop software, and those that focus on what we can do with the software once it is working in space.
“The combination of new hardware with new software development processes promises the faster introduction of new advanced capabilities on spacecraft,” says Christophe Honvault, head of ESA’s Software Technology Section who is leading the call for ideas. “We now have much more powerful processors that can execute more instructions in a given time – this means we can use software to implement more functions into a spacecraft.”
In practical terms, software is the coded sets of instructions that tell hardware what to do in a given situation. These instructions can stretch to millions of lines of code.
Getting software right is crucial to the success of a mission but it is complex to develop. To avoid a coding bug being the downfall of a spacecraft, there are now many standards in place to ensure that software will not fail in space.
Well-written software ensures that a mission functions ‘correctly’. But spacecraft with more advanced applications require more complex software, which is more difficult to develop.
“The idea is really to develop software to get the best out of our space assets while keeping or improving the dependability of the spacecraft. By developing software in line with developments in hardware, we will advance onboard autonomy, enabling new types of missions and reducing mission costs,” explains Christophe.
Autonomy is really important. From detecting faults on board and self-fixing them without any human intervention, to controlling their own orbit and avoiding collisions, more autonomous spacecraft could enable completely new types of space missions. Your ideas for software developments could make spacecraft more autonomous, but also safer, more dependable, or more resilient to cyber-attacks.
The call will be open until 21 March 2022. Ideas will then be evaluated and the authors of the best will be invited to mature their ideas into proposals for funding. Successful ideas will be implemented under the Discovery programme, ESA’s first contact point for promising new concepts. You can find full details of the timing, process and conditions via OSIP.
“It will be very interesting to see what ideas the community has on how to optimise the development of software and apply it to spacecraft in new ways,” concludes Christophe. “I look forward to supporting most innovative ideas that will push future missions to new heights.”
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