AEROS aims to develop a nanosatellite as a precursor of a future system of systems, which will include assets and capabilities of both new and existing platforms operating in the Ocean and Space, equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and technologies, all connected through a communication network linked to a data gathering, processing and dissemination system. This constellation leverages scientific and economic synergies emerging from New Space and the opportunities in prospecting, monitoring, and valuing the Ocean in a sustainable manner, addressing the demand for improved spatial, temporal, and spectral coverage in areas such as coastal ecosystems management and climate change assessment and mitigation. Currently, novel sensors and systems, including a miniaturized hyperspectral imager and a flexible software-defined communication system, are being developed and integrated into a new versatile satellite structure, supported by an innovative on-board software. Additional sensors, like the LoRaWAN protocol and a wider field of view RGB camera, are under study. To cope with data needs, a Data Analysis Centre, including a cloud-based data and telemetry dashboard and a back-end layer, to receive and process acquired and ingested data, is being implemented to provide tailored-to-use remote sensing products for a wide range of applications for private and institutional stakeholders.

One of the key challenges in future space explorers is the ability to carry out complex mission profiles while avoiding constant ground support until arrival at the mission target. A key point is precise self-knowledge of location and attitude. Over the last several years there have been many demonstrations of how to use visual cues to enable safe and precise execution of key mission phases, including in large-scale missions (most recently on NASA's Mars Perseverance). Nevertheless, this transition is sure to occur at a faster pace on small missions due to their comparatively low cost. We have investigated how to forego entirely ground-based navigation throughout a mission - between launch separation and target arrival. We propose to use primarily just three small optical instruments (two star trackers and one high-resolution camera), along with a high-performance processing unit, while considering complementary sensors such as IMUs and ranging instruments for critical events. We describe two different mission profiles, a lunar landing and an asteroid mission. We have calculated suitable trajectories to reach our targets, and describe appropriate image processing techniques to reach the required positioning performance. We also describe the covariance analyses that guide both trajectory correction timeline and the observation schedule. We have built prototype hardware instrument to test our progress towards achieving this goal, and have tested it under conditions representative of a real mission. Finally, we are currently qualifying cameras for In-Orbit Demonstrations in early 2023 to inform our next steps.

AEROS is a 3U CubeSat pathfinder toward a future ocean-observing constellation, targeting the Portuguese Atlantic region. AEROS features a miniaturized, high-resolution Hyperspectral Imager (HSI), a 5MP RGB camera, and a Software Defined Radio (SDR). The sensor generated data will be processed and aggregated for end-users in a new web-based Data Analysis Center (DAC). The HSI has 150 spectrally contiguous bands covering visible to near-infrared with 10 nm bandwidth. The HSI collects ocean color data to support studies of oceanographic characteristics known to influence the spatio-temporal distribution and movement behavior of marine organisms. Usage of an SDR expands AEROS's operational and communication range and allows for remote reconfiguration. The SDR receives, demodulates, and retransmits short duration messages, from sources including tagged marine organisms, autonomous vehicles, subsurface floats, and buoys. The future DAC will collect, store, process, and analyze acquired data, taking advantage of its ability to disseminate data across the stakeholders and the scientific network. Correlation of animal-borne Argos platform locations and oceanographic data will advance fisheries management, ecosystem-based management, monitoring of marine protected areas, and bio-oceanographic research in the face of a rapidly changing environment. For example, correlation of oceanographic data collected by the HSI, geolocated with supplementary images from the RGB camera and fish locations, will provide researchers with near real-time estimates of essential oceanographic variables within areas selected by species of interest.

Earth's oceans are an integral sub-system of our planet and an invaluable resource.Consequences of climate change threaten to have substantial and irreversible negative effects on our oceans, making it crucial to quickly understand and quantify climate impact due to increased human activity.Near-continuous, large-scale monitoring from space is revolutionizing the way we study and monitor the ocean, and Nanosatellites can provide affordable platforms to facilitate and expedite this process with increased spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution and coverage.AEROS is a 3U CubeSat developed for operation in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO, 450 km) that will demonstrate improved spectral coverage using a narrowband (10 nm), multispectral (150+ measurement bands) optical spectrometer imaging payload to sense ocean color.This work presents results from a radiometric model developed to assess the imager's ability to perform ocean color observations.We show that with the imager's current configuration positioned in our selected orbit, we can achieve more than 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio margin for each of the mission's target observation bands.We present methods for developing the radiometric tool, creation and use of custom atmospheric models using MODTRAN, and the mission's orbital selection process.

A nonlinear control approach is developed for both the attitude and trajectory control and of an Apollo-like capsule with low L/D entering the martian atmosphere, resulting in a very high probability (>99%) of a safe parachute deployment very close to a pre-defined location above Mars surface, enabling a precision l anding (<1km). The attitude control is based on the feedback linearization of the inner (a ttitude dynamics) and outer (attitude kinematics) attitude control loops, in which the de sired dynamics of the linearized loop are tuned such as to ensure both robustness to uncertai nties, moderate demands to the attitude control system and a high tracking performance. The trajectory control also includes nonlinear tracking laws for the drag acceleration a nd range. The trajectory control is based on the modulation of the bank angle, such as to poi nt the lift vector in the direction most suitable to increase or decrease the vehicle’s rate of descent as required. The guidance algorithm associated to the trajectory tracking law attempts to follow a drag acceleration profile, a range profile and a heading angle as the flight progresses, in an attempt to circumvent the known shortcomings of previous entry guidance approaches (namely in terms of range prediction) while avoiding any analy tical predictions, numerical integration of the equations of motion, in-flight trajectory up dates or trajectory optimization during the flight. Monte-Carlo simulations have been carried o ut in high-fidelity 4DOF and 6DOF simulations, introducing significant perturbations to the initial state, the vehicle’s aerodynamics, its’ mass properties and in atmospheric models. Results compare very favorably to existing approaches both in terms of r obustness to uncertainties and overall system performance, while the guidance and control system hereby presented requires a comparably small computational cost.