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PRESS RELEASE |
ÅAC Microtec leads ESA project to investigate a standardized European microsystems interface for nanosatellites
A consortium led by ÅAC Microtec has been selected to carry out a project commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA). The company’s unique packaging technology will be used to develop a standardized modular microsystems interface, a key component that is necessary for the construction of future European nanosatellites.
ÅAC Microtec and its partners won the Standard Modular Microsystems Interface (SMMI) project in hard competition with other European companies. The project is a part of ESA’s NEOMEx technology development theme, which explores the theoretical feasibility of advanced modular nanosatellites.
The objective of the SMMI project is to provide the European space industry with a miniaturized and standardized interface, also enabling plug and play (PnP) on spacecraft system level. This will allow easy integration of payloads and simple exchange of subsystems and reduce assembly, integration and test (AIT) costs.
The consortium led by ÅAC Microtec also includes Selex Galileo, ISIS, Aeroflex Gaisler and Surrey Satellite Ltd (SSTL). In the future the SMMI may be commercialized by ÅAC in cooperation with the consortium partners.
“A future nanosatellite will weigh as little as 10 kg and still have about the same functionality and quality as considerably larger satellites used today. The physical and digital interfaces between the satellite’s different building blocks must therefore be miniaturized and extremely lightweight. The expertise of ÅAC Microtec and its partners provides the best possible basis for the development of an SMMI interface optimal for this application,” says Johan Köhler, who is the technical officer of the project at the European Space Agency.
“The cornerstone of the project will be ÅAC Microtec’s unique packaging technology, which enables us to build highly miniaturized and efficient systems. We already have a cooperation with the US Air Force Research Laboratory concerning a similar module enabling plug and play according to the American standard. Now we will create a European solution than will greatly simplify things for European satellite designers and enable the construction on nano satellites,” says Robert Thorslund, project manager for SMMI at ÅAC Microtec.
For further information:
Mats Magnell, CEO ÅAC Microtec AB
Phone: +46 707 519 234
e-mail:
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Robert Thorslund, Project Manager ÅAC Microtec AB
Phone: +46 707 234 285
e-mail:
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Johan Köhler, Technical Officer, European Space Agency
Phone: +31 71 565 8339
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About the company:
ÅAC Microtec develops, manufactures and markets miniaturized and robust multifunctional electronics systems. By combining the best suitable packaging techniques ÅAC offer solutions based on state-of-the art microelectronics and MEMS technology, and services for optimal life cycle performance. ÅAC Microtec was founded in 2005 as a spin-off from Uppsala University’s Ångström Laboratory.
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