ESA’s Navigation Laboratory has a new recruit: this drone can carry different types of satellite navigation receivers to collect data for follow-on analysis.

The drone has landed

The <a href="https://technology.esa.int/lab/navigation-laboratory" target="_blank">NavLab</a> , based at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, is focused on the testing, analysis and characterisation of navigation systems for both ESA and external customers.&nbsp;
With drones representing a rapidly-expanding user base, this is a timely addition to the NavLab’s suite of platforms for the testing of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies and techniques – also including static, mobile and pedestrian platforms and a pair of test vans.&nbsp;
Along with receivers and antennas, the drone can also host radio-frequency spectrum samplers and support equipment such as inertial sensors and stereo cameras, allowing the assessment of performance in specific dynamics and environments related to specific 'Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle' applications, such as approach, landing, flying beside buildings or indoors.
See it in action <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK-zPZ2gQlU" target="_blank">here</a> . 

(C) ESA &amp; Remedia 
&nbsp;

Drone in NavLab

A small forest of antennas sprouts from the roof of ESA’s Navigation Laboratory, based at the ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands, which is among the most frequently satnav-fixed locations on Earth.

Roof of the Satnav World

This is also the site of the very first <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Navigation/Galileo_fixes_Europe_s_position_in_history" target="_blank">Galileo positioning fix</a> positioning fix, acquired back in 2014 using the first quartet of Galileo satellites.&nbsp;
“The antenna is a critical component of any Global Navigation <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Navigation/Galileo_fixes_Europe_s_position_in_history" target="_blank">Global Navigation Satellite </a> System user segment, capturing power from the electromagnetic waves it receives, then converting it into electrical current to be processed by the rest of the receiver chain,” explains Radio Navigation Engineer Michelangelo Albertazzi.&nbsp;
“Up here we have a variety of antenna designs in place – such as omnidirectional, high gain and arrays – from leading world receiver manufacturers, which acquire signals from all major global GNSS constellations, including Galileo, GPS, the Russian Glonass and China’s Beidou, as well as regional systems such as Europe’s EGNOS.”&nbsp;
The <a href="https://technology.esa.int/lab/navigation-laboratory" target="_blank">NavLab </a> is also equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to record, replay and analyze the RF signals picked up by these antennas, to help with its main goal of performing tests, analyses and characterisation of navigation systems for both ESA and external customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://technology.esa.int/program/general-support-technology-programme" target="_blank">GENERAL SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME</a> (GSTP) Annual Report is available <a href="https://indd.adobe.com/view/fb37fecf-5ab6-4cd1-868d-a0679e7432c7" target="_blank">here</a> .

GSTP Annual Report 2020

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Funding available for ideas to boost Europe's green future using space

Boost Europe's green future using space

Space could be crucial in our transition towards a sustainable future. But how? We can help you turn your novel ideas into concrete action.
Following decisions made at the COP26 climate talks and ESA's Intermediate Ministerial Meeting, we have decided to extend the deadline for the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) call for '<a href="https://ideas.esa.int/servlet/hype/IMT?documentTableId=45087648409565164&userAction=Browse&templateName=&documentId=24ea54cc9f205a0874ff45212b4d57dd" target="_blank">New ideas for how space can boost Europe's green future</a>' to 14 December. Anybody interested in submitting an idea is invited to ask questions during a public webinar on 29 November.
For more information about this OSIP call, please see <a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Discovery_and_Preparation/From_ideas_to_action_how_to_tackle_climate_change_with_space" target="_blank">our article</a> announcing its launch.
From ideas to action
Perhaps you work in energy, construction, or another sector closely linked to the environment. Or maybe you are a space company with an idea for applying your latest technology. Whoever you are, we invite you to tell us how space could contribute to making Europe carbon neutral.
Successful ideas will be implemented either under the <a href="https://technology.esa.int/program/discovery" target="_self">Discovery</a> programme of ESA’s Basic Activities, or under ESA’s <a href="https://technology.esa.int/program/general-support-technology-programme" target="_self">GSTP</a>, <a href="https://incubed.phi.esa.int" target="_blank">InCubed</a>, <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/ARTES/About_ARTES" target="_blank">ARTES</a> or <a href="https://navisp.esa.int" target="_blank">NAVISP</a> programmes – we will support you to find the right implementation path. With our support, you could explore options for commercially viable solutions using space to slow down climate change and help make Europe climate neutral.
Space for a green future
The climate crisis is the most urgent challenge faced by humanity. In its 2021 'code red' report, the IPCC stated that humanity can no longer escape from anthropogenic climate change. Yet fast action could help us avoid the worst damage.
Space is uniquely positioned to make a difference in tackling the climate crisis; satellites watch over Earth continuously and the space sector has plenty of experience in developing technologies that are adapted to challenging environments – think highly insulating materials, non-carbon power systems and regenerative life support systems for astronauts, for example.
On 19 November, government ministers in charge of space activities in ESA's Member States met at an <a href="https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Decisions_from_the_Intermediate_Ministerial_Meeting_2021" target="_blank">Intermediate Ministerial Meeting</a> in Matosinhos, Portugal. The Co uncil of Ministers unanimously adopted a resolution to accelerate the use of space in Europe (the 'Matosinhos manifesto') to tackle the urgent and unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges faced by Europe and its citizens.
As a first priority, ESA will work towards enabling people to better understand the current state of the planet and to develop scenarios and solutions for sustainable life on Earth. One way to achieve this is through a <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Working_towards_a_Digital_Twin_of_Earth" target="_blank">digital twin of our planet</a> – the 'Digital Twin Earth ' will be able to monitor the health of the planet, perform simulations of Earth's interconnected system with human behaviour, and help support European environmental policies.
"Space offers a vast untapped potential to ramp up the fight for a green future and tackle global climate change," says ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. "It is now time to translate great ideas into concrete actions and leverage their economic potential."
This OSIP call for ideas aims to provide a significant contribution to ESA's plans for a greener Europe as well as to one of the five goals of ESA <a href="https://technology.esa.int/page/agenda-2025" target="_self">Agenda 2025</a> – boosting commercialisation in Europe's space sector for a green and digital Europe.
The call is open to anybody, but we are particularly looking to trigger the creativity of entrepreneurs and businesses.
How is ESA already contributing to a greener future?
There are myriad ways that space is already helping tackle climate change. For example, ESA's Space and Energy initiative aims to strengthen technological synergies with the terrestrial energy sector, recognising that the space sector has decades of experience in non-carbon power systems, energy storage and efficient thermal control. Furthermore, satellites can assist with the effective running of renewable energy infrastructure by monitoring wind and sunshine.
ESA's research into non-carbon energy supplies has also supported the construction sector. The need for eco-friendly housing solutions is growing, and homes could make use of solar cells and batteries developed for space. Strong-but-lightweight materials and high-end manufacturing techniques developed for space are already being used for terrestrial construction – one example is 3D printing using carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
In the transport sector, satellite-enabled smart traffic management solutions for planes, ships, lorries and cars will help to save energy and cut carbon emissions.
But we believe that there are many more unexplored ways that space technologies, applications and services could support a greener future. Your ideas could make a difference to our planet.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2021/11/Space_for_a_Green_Future" target="_blank">Watch the video</a> to discover more

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ESA is challenging companies in its Member States to design a compact plant to demonstrate the manufacture of oxygen on the Moon.

Industrial teams are competing this summer to propose and prove designs through testing, with the winner set to be declared in September. This small piece of technology will evaluate the prospect of building larger plants to produce propellant for spacecraft, air for astronauts and metallic raw materials for equipment.

Competing companies developing payload to make air from moon-dust

moondust

ESA’s Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration selected <a href="https://">Airbus Defence and Space</a> in Germany, <a href="https://www.ohb.de/">OHB</a>in Italy, <a href="https://www.spaceapplications.com/">Space Applications</a> in Belgium and <a href="https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/global/activities/space">Thales Alenia Space</a> in the UK as leaders of the competing teams during a summer-long study to develop payload concepts meeting stringent performance requirements.
“We make high demands of our industrial companies”, says David Binns, Systems Engineer at ESA's <a href="/lab/concurrent-design-facility">Concurrent</a> Design Facility. “We need a system which is small, doesn’t consume too much power and could fly on a number of different landers. It also needs to be available in the middle of this decade. With both ESA and NASA planning to return to the Moon with crewed missions, this time to stay, this technology needs to be ready.”
Giorgio Magistrati, Studies and Technologies Team Leader at ESA's ExPeRT (<a href="https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/Business_Opportunities/ExPeRT_Exploration_Preparation_Research_and_Technology">Exploration Preparation, Research and Technology</a>) initative adds: “The system will represent the first step – a so called ‘demonstrator’ – in an In-Situ Resource Utilisation implementation strategy that foresees an ISRU plant in the early part of the next decade. It could potentially be deployed on the Moon's surface by the European Large Logistic Lander, <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/European_Large_Logistics_Lander">EL3</a>, a project currently in its preliminary design phase.” 
The <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2019/10/Oxygen_and_metal_from_lunar_regolith">underlying concept has already been proven</a>. Samples returned from the lunar surface confirm that lunar regolith is made up of 40–45% percent oxygen by weight, its single most abundant element.&nbsp;
The difficulty is that this oxygen is bound up chemically as oxides in the form of minerals or glass, so is unavailable for immediate use.
However a <a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/ESA_opens_oxygen_plant_making_air_out_of_moondust">prototype oxygen plant</a> has been set up in the <a href="/lab/materials-electrical-components-laboratory">Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory</a> of the European Space Research and Technology Centre, <a href="https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESTEC">ESTEC</a>, based in Noordwijk in the Netherlands.
This plant employs an electrolysis-based process to separate simulated lunar regolith into metals and oxygen, key basic resources for long-term sustainable space missions.
ESA space resources scientists Alexandre Meurisse comments: “Now we have the facility in operation we can help in designing a version of this system that could one day fly to the Moon to be operated there.
But extracting oxygen from lunar rock in a laboratory setting is one thing; the real challenge is to design a system that will operate in the harsh lunar environment, within strict volume and power constraints.
ESA has set strict targets for the payload, proposed to be flown on a future lunar lander: 
<ul>
<li style="text-align:start;">Retrieve samples and extract 50-100g of oxygen</li>
<li style="text-align:start;">Show that more than 70% of the available oxygen in a lunar rock sample can extracted</li>
<li style="text-align:start;">Perform precision measurements of oxygen and metals production</li>
</ul>
Do it all before the Sun goes down on the lunar surface (&lt; 10 Earth days).
Having started work in June, the companies have had just three months to come up with working designs.
“Our companies will need to decide the best way of extracting the oxygen,” adds David. ”This payload concept will need a method of acquiring the samples from the surface quickly, transferring them to a preparation area before finally loading the reactor which grabs the oxygen. And at each step of the way we need to measure and analyse what happens on the Moon.”
A panel will evaluate the concepts and the selected  winner will begin the work on the detailed design helping ESA prepare a proposal to build the payload, set to be presented for approval to space ministers of ESA Member States during the Agency’s Ministerial Council next year.
The aim is to produce autonomous, reliable, low maintenance, consumable free, and sustainable technology to utilise resources in space, and ‘live off the land’. Such efforts can deliver benefits on Earth too. Much water, energy and human effort is required to mine terrestrial raw metal oxides then remove unwanted oxygen to produce metals. A great deal of carbon dioxide can be produced in the process.
David concludes: “So by taking a risk in space to realise such technology, we could also improve the extraction of resources on Earth.”

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