Emerson and ESA unveil open new space laboratory

This facility will help redefine space system development and deployment by introducing advanced test strategies aimed at reducing costs and mitigating risks. This cooperation is also in line with the industrial policy objectives of the Hungarian government.

Located within Emerson’s Test & Measurement offices in Debrecen, the Open Innovation Laboratory is accessible to projects that meet specific criteria established by the ESA’s Navigation Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP). The lab is outfitted with the latest modular instrumentation and application software, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of technological advancements in the space market.

“The new lab embodies the shared vision of Emerson’s Test & Measurement business and the European Space Agency to accelerate innovation within the space industry,” said Ritu Favre, group president, Emerson’s Test & Measurement business group. “By focusing on the development of comprehensive test strategies from the early stages of development, engineers can avoid late-stage problem discovery, which can lead to significant cost overruns and delays.”

“We are pleased that the ESA’s NAVISP has supported the establishment of the new Open Innovation Laboratory in Debrecen. This builds on a productive relationship established over several years between our organizations, and I am confident it will pave the way to new market opportunities for innovative Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions and services,” said Rafael Lucas Rodriguez, head of ESA’s NAVISP Technical Programme Office. “The infrastructure for PNT is rapidly evolving, and the laboratory will provide industry with the tools to test and prototype new technologies addressing the emerging market areas such as Controlled Radiation Pattern Antennas (CRPA) to provide resilient positioning to the users.” 

Key to the laboratory’s capabilities is the use of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) test systems, an enabling technology that replicates the operational environment for subsystems under test. The lab is also equipped with modular instrumentation and application software for the company’s Wideband Multichannel Phase Aligned Transceiver (MPA) System, S-Parameters, pulse-to-pulse stability, power added efficiency measurement and capability to emulate a Wideband Satellite Link.

By leveraging Emerson’smodular and scalable approaches, the facility aims to transform the design of complex satellite system-of-systems. This includes a focus on RF/micro-wave payloads based on wideband and active multi-beam antenna, on-board digital processor and regenerative software defined radio.

Lab Demonstration - Left to right: Rafael Lucas Rodriguez, Head of NAVISP Technical Programme Office, Prof. Dr. Manuel Lopez Martinez, Senior Technology Officer, EUSPA, Raffaele Fiengo, BDM, NI (now part of Emerson), Lorenzo Danelli, Radio Navigation Engineer, Thales Alenia Space and Samah Chazbeck, Application Engineer, NI (now part of Emerson)