From Brussels to the stars – discover five Belgian-led projects at the forefront of EU space research

From 1 January to 30 June 2024, Belgium is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union. As president, Belgium coordinates the Council’s operations and promotes collaboration between the Member States. The theme of the Belgian presidency is “Protect, Strengthen, Prepare”, and encompasses six priorities.

Horizon Europe is funding space research projects that enable the development of cutting-edge space technologies, products, and services, aiming to ensure that the EU remains competitive in space and can access and use space with a high level of autonomy.

With the Belgian presidency in full swing, discover five EU-funded space research projects led by Belgian coordinators:

ASAP – Leveraging AI algorithms for space exploration

Coordinator: KU Leuven

ASAP aims to design and develop AI algorithms for the automation of space mission operations, implemented on onboard processors. By introducing novel AI concepts to space missions, the project will transform the future development of technologies and scientific instrumentation for space science and exploration missions.

DUSTER – On a mission to dust space

Coordinator: Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB)

DUSTER is addressing the challenge posed by charged dust particles on the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids, which can significantly threaten human health and space equipment during exploration missions. The project is developing a pioneering instrument to enable the on-site analysis of dust particles present on the exploration sites and their transport. The technology will serve as a basis to design electrostatic dust mitigation and sample-collecting devices.

EvoLand – Building the next-generation Copernicus Land Monitoring Service

Coordinator: VITO ; BE beneficiary: Evenflow

EvoLand is developing eleven new and innovative product candidates for the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). This will be realised by integrating novel Earth Observation and in-situ data with the latest Machine Learning techniques to continuously monitor land surface status and dynamics. The project addresses challenges in five key domains: agriculture, forest, water, urban, and general land cover.

SCHUMANN – Fostering modularity in NewSpace

Coordinator: Space Applications Services

SCHUMANN seeks to make the development of modular spacecraft elements simpler, more affordable, and more straightforwardly integrable by satellite manufacturer. To this end, two main tracks are being implemented: the first track addresses the development and maturation of a refuel tank module, which facilitates satellite life extension. The second track deals with the development of a software toolkit called SCK (Spacecraft Construction Kit) which will support future developers of functional satellite modules.

STARFAB – Designing an in-space automated warehouse facility

Coordinator: Space Applications Services ; BE beneficiary: Sonaca

STARFAB aims to design a novel concept for an automated orbital Warehouse Unit or ‘space factory’, serving as an enabler for sustainable On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM) business models. The project will elaborate a viable facility concept and explore the use of robotic technologies in such facility. In addition, it will define a roadmap for technology maturation and exploitation routes.

Background

EU Space Research aims to foster a cost-effective, competitive, and innovative space industry and research community. Under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Space (Destination 5), HaDEA is funding projects that prepare future evolutions of the EU Space Programme components, foster the EU space sector’s competitiveness, reinforce its independent capacity to access space, and secure its autonomy of supply for critical technologies.

With a total budget of €46.3 million, the Horizon Europe Space Research call 2024 is currently open and offers a variety of collaboration opportunities for the space community.

The Belgian presidency acknowledges the importance of space activities as a strategic asset, particularly in domains such as security, defense, climate change mitigation, and the empowerment of New Space actors. It aims to advance cybersecurity and secure connectivity and to promote the safe, sustainable, and secure use of space. In dealing with these challenges, sustainable international cooperation, and the commitment to nurturing the EU’s open strategic autonomy are key cornerstones.

Relevant links

Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union

EU Space Research