GMV has taken part in the eighth European Conference for Aeronautics and Space Sciences (EUCASS 2019), a benchmark sector conference held this year from 1 to 4 July in the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid).

The program, with 110 technical sessions, dealt with burning issues such as system integration, flight physics, propulsion physics, structures and materials, reusable launch systems, avionics, GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control), flight dynamics and space debris, among others.

GMV took an active part in several of these sessions. Emanuele Di Sotto, Head of GMV’s SPS Launchers and Entry Systems Division, chaired the session “GNC Return of Experience, Verification & Validation”.

In the space navigation session GMV presented a paper on development and qualification of the avionics of the MIURA-1 launcher, PLD Space’s suborbital rocket designed to test the technology of the future MIURA-5. GMV is working jointly with the Spanish startup in the development of the complete avionics, including GNC, telemetry and the onboard software of the microlauncher.

Another key participant was Andrea Pellacani, GMV Project Manager, who presented two papers about HERA mission in two different sessions. In this mission GMV is priming the international consortium in charge of mission-analysis and development of the GNC of this project, which will be studying the Didymos binary asteroid. The first paper, under the title “HERA vision based GNC and autonomy”, dealt with the GNC subsystem developed in the HERA mission’s current phase B1. The second paper looked at the GNC algorithm verification, validation, development and design system.

In the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) area gave a paper under the title “Challenges, strategies and methodologies to build-up and maintain space objects catalogues”, sharing its knowledge and expertise in the cataloguing of space debris.

The company also ran a stand in the exhibition area, showcasing its activities in various space-segment projects.

The EUCASS association, made up by European scientists and researchers, puts on this conference every two years, bringing together key sector stakeholders, decision makers and academics with the aim of boosting its market competitiveness.