Satellites may no longer collide in space, thanks to 3 developers from Innovlab DT IT Solutions Slovakia


34 countries from 5 continents, competed in 30 challenges and our team placed in the "Top 5" with their solution SCP - Preventing collisions of satellites with debris in space. This solution was developed from the previous idea – an app Space Guardian ( Space Guardian is showing how much satellites and debris are around earth on various orbits.) This specific app was developed in partnership with the Slovak Academy of Sciences, @SPACE:LAB and Univerzita Komenského in Bratislava for festival of science - European Researchers' Night (30.9.2022), that was held in 4 Slovak cities such as Kosice, Bratislava, Zilina and Banska Bystrica. Currently, students in 631 classes in Slovakia have already familiarized themselves with this functional and educational application.

WEB APP SPACE GUARDIAN

The unique solution SCP

„As part of the hackathon, we proposed a project called SCP - Spacecraft Collision Prevention. This solution would provide customers (satellite owners) with a regular subscription service that would warn them of a possible collision of their satellite with another space object. So the owner of the satellite could order the maneuver of the satellite, which would have saved him a lot of money, since he would have avoided the collision and destruction of the satellite itself. As a part of the instruction, a program was created that simulates a situation where the orbits of 2 objects (a satellite and other potentially dangerous object) intersect and create an intersection that represents a collision point. These information are generated on the basis of space surveillance and tracking data from catalog,“,“ explains Gabriel Urban, from Scrum Team Innovlab Kosice.

And how was the idea born?

The main idea came up at the November ActinSpace Slovak Hackathon (organized by the Slovak Space Office) in head of Adam Tamas, who at the same time had under his thumb the data that the application uses. The visualization of these calculations and data on potential collisions, space debris and satellites was carried out by Stefan Hadbavny, who took care of the visual side of the application. "I was troubled by the overall visual environment with which the user works. Rendering satellites to their exact position, creating a table with individual collisions, various filters, also animations. The biggest challenge for me was drawing the orbits of individual satellites“ , explains Stefan. Dagmara Vendrakova helped with the design app.

Innovab startup center is so proud of the team

"The historic success of our InnovLab team of DT ITSO SK in such a highly competitive environment as it was in the Grand Final in Cannes is only proof that a well-developed topic with a real prototype can even move a small country like Slovakia into the TOP 5. Our development team is a practical demonstration that if students catch an interesting topic, they are able and competent to deliver high-quality results, worth of international awards," explain Alica Narozna-Gold, Project Manager of Innovlab startup center.

What’s next?

The team will continue to work on the solution and build upon the experience and contacts gained through such success. Collaboration with organizations like ESA can provide opportunities for other valuable projects in the future.

Team consist of Gabriel Urban, Stefan Hadbavny, Adam Tamas and Gabriela Vendrakova.

The Innovlab startup center represent Alica Narozna Gold (Project Manager) and Andrea Lovacka. (Business Development Manager)

The Slovak Space office was represented by the presence of Lenka Tkacova. (PR Manager)

Media contact: Lenka Adamova, Business Development Manager

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM IT SOLUTIONS SLOVAKIA

#space #hackathon #grandfinal #actinspace #slovakspaceoffice

"The space sector has online data collected by satellites over several years. It is a great resource for data analysis and building predictive models. At DT ITSO SK, we are also starting to focus on this segment. We are committed to climate-neutral business practices, and we can use this space data for practical support in the fight against climate change. We are very proud to have an in-house developed concept study to prevent satellite collisions with space debris. The awarded solution is an example of how local companies and universities work. That was the impulse for us to sign the memorandum," explains Andreas Truls, Managing Director of the Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions Slovakia.

The space research center will attract both scientists and engineers

The cluster will aim to effectively associate and connect interested entities performing research and development, commercial or popularization activities in the field of space technologies, as well as to create a supporting ecosystem for the creation of new innovative startups, bringing new products and services using space technologies.

"The cluster has the ambition to create a strong consortium, composed of representatives of the private, academic, public, and non-profit sectors. In this composition, it will be easier to coordinate activities and obtain funds for joint research and development or educational projects, which will help to further accelerate the development of the space ecosystem in the east of Slovakia. The idea of creating a cluster was born during regular online meetings with representatives of the eastern Slovakia space ecosystem, which we initiated at SARIO as part of the Slovak Space Agency project to help the region to fully utilize its strong potential for the space sector," says Michal Brichta, director of the industrial component of the Slovak Space Agency (SARIO).

The companies that signed the memorandum of cooperation also agree that the creation of a space ecosystem has the task of attracting or keeping scientists and engineers in the Košice region.

"We realize that if we want to continue to participate in important scientific projects and attract, or keep top scientists here, we need a functioning ecosystem that goes beyond our institution. We have been dealing with cosmic physics in Košice for more than 50 years. During that time, we participated in dozens of instruments for exceptional space missions (e.g. Rosetta, BepiColombo, JUICE) and published hundreds of scientific papers on phenomena in the near space. Our research will continue to develop if we have enough well-educated people and, at the same time, if we can transform our knowledge into products and services in cooperation with industry. Thanks to our close cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), we want to facilitate new opportunities for the entire region," explained the director of the Institute of Experimental Physics SAS in Košice doc. RNDr. Zuzana Gažová, DrSc.

Pavel Jozef Šafárik University in Košice sees the membership in the upcoming cluster as an opportunity, which was also confirmed by the vice-dean for external relations of the UPJŠ Faculty of Science in Košice, doc. Mgr. Michal Gallay, Ph.D.

"UPJŠ is a relevant partner with experiences that we want to share. Some of our workplaces already participated in the programs when the use of space was in its infancy in the last century -INTERKOZMOS program, we participated in the research program at CERN, and in recent years we solved projects within the Program of European Cooperating States with the European Space Agency (ESA PECS). We are a member of the European association Copernicus Academy, which mainly covers institutions providing education based on space technologies and supports young companies."

The challenges of the space segment will be implemented in Košice

The space cluster will be devoted to the development of the space ecosystem, projects, and the acquisition of financial resources for the development of this ecosystem.

"By the development of the space ecosystem in the region, we understand that we will respond together as a cluster to the challenges of the space industry segment, ESA and the EU and together prepare suitable conditions for the creation of new products, projects, or innovations. For people who want to work in this industry, it is necessary to prepare attractive jobs and interesting study opportunities so that they stay to study and work in our region," adds Milan Varga, manager of Innovlab Startup Center, DT ITSO SK.

More articles in the Slovak media and TV

1.NexTech: https://www.nextech.sk/a/V-Kosiciach-vznika-Vesmirny-klaster---prvy-svojho-druhu-na-vychodnom-Slovensku

2. Košický Štandard: https://kosice.standard.sk/441893/kracame-s-buducnostou-v-kosiciach-vznikol-vesmirny-klaster

  1. TouchIT : https://touchit.sk/v-kosiciach-vznika-vesmirny-klaster-prvy-svojho-druhu-na-vychodnom-slovensku/536246
  2. TV Zoznam : https://tv.zoznam.sk/cl/1003001/2595281/Vychodoslovensky-vesmirny-klaster-vytvori-priestor-na-vyskum-vesmiru
  3. TASR: https://www.teraz.sk/regiony/v-kosiciach-vznikne-klaster-partnerov-z/741399-clanok.html
  4. Košice Online: https://www.kosiceonline.sk/v-kosiciach-vznikol-vesmirny-klaster
  5. Denník N: https://e.dennikn.sk/minuta/3574416
  6. Živé.sk :https://zive.aktuality.sk/clanok/UJUoGDs/chcu-prilakat-talenty-ci-investorov-pre-vesmirny-vyskum-v-kosiciach-vznikne-novy-klaster/
  7. TechBox: https://www.techbox.sk/hladat/vesm%C3%ADrny+klaster
  8. Shared on IG: Živé: https://www.instagram.com/p/CxViHPSqNfg/
  9. RTVS: https://www.rtvs.sk/televizia/archiv/14026/424874#3216 (53:35)

 

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