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Interstel Technologies, Inc

iCOSMOS-Swarm

Cooperative Control and Localization of Multiple Spacecraft Using a Multi-Agent Mission Operations System

(Presented November 28, 2023

Revised January 9, 2024)

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Dr. Trevor C. Sorensen

CEO, Interstel Technologies, Inc.

trevor.sorensen@interstel.tech

www.interstel.tech�

Eric Pilger

VP Technology, Interstel Technologies, Inc.

eric.pilger@interstel.tech

www.interstel.tech�

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MARKET PAIN/PURPOSE

Problem:

  • As satellite fleets become more diverse, more comprehensive software solutions are needed to support complex missions
  • Current management of remote sensing swarms and satellite constellations is complex and labor intensive for ground controllers and analysts
  • Existing satellite constellations are static
  • Current Earth-observing systems in space with long revisit times will not be able to keep pace with the dynamical nature of the new world we have shaped for ourselves

iCOSMOS-Swarm Value Proposition:

  • Gathers a larger set of data from a larger volume with higher quality than would be possible with an equivalent set of existing static missions
  • Provides “plug-and-play” technology which can fit with existing systems and adapt to various missions
  • Provides an integrated architecture that supports multiple diverse nodes (e.g., satellites, UAVs…) simultaneously to accomplish a common mission
  • Improves the quality of data collection through agile & intelligent satellite swarms

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TECHNICAL SOLUTION

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interstel’s Comprehensive Open-architecture Solution for Mission Operations Systems (iCOSMOS)

Mission Operations Support Tool (MOST)

iCOSMOS Executive Operator (CEO)

Other Tools:

  • Mission Planning & Scheduling Tool (MPST)
  • Data Management Tool (DMT)
  • Ground Segment Control Tool (GSCT)

Encompasses and integrates all functions of mission operations (including flight software) into single ecosystem

  • Mission Design Tool (MDT)
  • Flight Dynamics Tool (FDT)
  • Test Bed Control Tool (TBCT)

Applications to Date:

  • 2 satellites launched (HiakaSat, Neutron-1), 2 ready (HyTI, Artemis cubesat)
  • UH ground station, Mission Ops Center, I&T cleanroom operations
  • Autonomous Electric Vehicle System for campus parcel delivery
  • BalloonSats with autonomous ocean recovery vehicle
  • UAVs (quadcopters)
  • Lunar rover (Phase 0 study for Canadian Space Agency)

TRL 5 to 7

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TECHNICAL SOLUTION

Solution: iCOSMOS-Swarm (currently under development in a NASA STTR Phase II) manages agile swarms of heterogeneous nodes/agents through a master node (Mothership) that can be controlled by ground or operate autonomously or semi-autonomously

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Mission examples include:

  • Monitoring large-scale dynamic events (e.g. wildfires, volcanoes, other natural disasters) with convoy agents, sensing agents
  • The formation and maintenance of leader-follower satellite constellation for volumetric remote sensing (e.g. monitoring climate change/environmental conditions)

The model for our approach includes:

  • Intelligent behavior
    • Applying SPH (Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics) to motion
    • Goal-based targeting
    • Swarm formation and pointing optimization
      • Based on target and sensor selection
  • Swarm operational life extension by on-orbit refuelling of swarm by Mothership

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TECHNICAL SOLUTION

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Swarm Management and Resources Tool (SMART)

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WHY iCOSMOS AND iCOSMOS-SWARM

Impact:

  • Simplifies control of swarms by using coordination of semi-autonomous nodes
  • Integrates with systems of heterogeneous assets (e.g. aircraft, balloons, ground sensors, etc.)
  • Intelligent swarms reduce number of ground controllers
  • Local problem solving reduces decision making latency
  • Dramatically reduces revisit time through the use of multiple intelligent swarms
  • Improves data collection over current satellite capabilities by optimizing sensor selection and viewing angles

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Differentiation:

  • All displays are easily customizable for appearance and data by operators
  • Agile and intelligent satellite swarms rather than static constellations
  • Applicability to diverse assets (satellites, rovers, drones, etc.)
  • Protocols developed for intermittent space communications are resilient to loss of communication
  • Individual nodes can operate autonomously, but work cooperatively as elements of the swarm to complete larger swarm missions
  • Designed to interface with existing systems

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MARKET POTENTIAL

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  • Government and Commercial Applications and Academic Research
    • NASA, NOAA, Academic Institutions, Department of Defense
    • Climate science, Lunar and Martian exploration, Earth remote sensing, disaster monitoring
    • Shipping, transportation, computer gaming (Interstel forming computer gaming division in 2023)
  • Wildfire Management
    • The Governor of California’s proposed budget for 2023-24 includes a total of $4 billion to support CalFire
    • CalFire’s Office of Wildfire Technology Research & Development (OWTRD) was formed to locate and test technologies to improve the detection and response to wildfires
    • According to OWTRD, “public, private, and non-profit organizations and companies work closely with us to advance the application of technology to wildland firefighting.”
  • Tribal Forestry Management
    • Various Native American Tribes have large swaths of forest that they would like to manage sustainably using their allocated federal funding
    • Swarm based monitoring can guide usage through analyzing forest health and potential resiliency
  • Carbon Sequestration
    • In the coming years, agriculture will have a compelling role in the decarbonization of the atmosphere - by trapping carbon in the soil, farmers can improve its quality without the use of harmful fertilizers while also offsetting emissions
    • Satellite-based monitoring of this process would be cheaper, more transparent, and a huge asset to farmers looking to adopt carbon-reducing practices

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→ Given Interstel Technologies’ recent win in Phase I of NASA’s Entrepreneur Challenge, there is a strong potential for the utilization of iCOSMOS-Swarm in climate science data generation.

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→ Interstel Technologies was a finalist in the U.S. Army xTech Pacific competition.

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BUSINESS MODEL AND TRACTION

Seek Strategic Partnerships

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  • 2015, 2023 University of Hawaii [$50,000]
  • 2015 DOD/SPACOM (Kestrel Eye) [$16,000]
  • 2015 COSMOS flown on HiakaSat
  • 2016 Naval Postgraduate School (MC3) [$10,000]
  • 2019 Spectrum Photonics (USAF SBIR) [$10,000]
  • 2020 NASA STTR Phase I [~$125,000]
  • 2020 COSMOS flown on Neutron-1
  • 2022 NASA STTR Phase II [~$760,000]
  • 2023 US Army xTech Pacific Competition Finalist [$20,000]
  • 2023 NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge Finalist [$16,000]
  • 2023 Space Innovation Challenge Finalist

Traction.

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INTERSTEL TEAM (Current)

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Dr. Trevor Sorensen CEO

  • 50 yrs experience (NASA, DOD, commercial, academia); 60+ publications
  • Expert in mission operations (author)
  • Space shuttle guidance & control engineer; assistant flight director; software manager
  • Lunar Mission Manager for DOD’s Clementine mission to the Moon
  • Program Manager, NRL Space R&D contract
  • Technical lead for Honeywell’s commercial satellite ground network
  • Observation Manager for DOD’s LACE satellite
  • Selected awards:
    • NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement
    • International SpaceOps Organization Distinguished Service Medal
    • NRL Certificate of Appreciation
    • Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
    • Fellow, American Astronautical Society (AAS)
    • Director, AIAA Space and Missiles Group (2008-2014)

Eric Pilger VP, Technology

  • MA in Astronomy
  • Lead software engineer of HSFL (Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory)
  • 30 yrs experience in planetary science instrument development
  • Systems engineer for HIGP (Hawaii Institute of Geophysics & Planetology)
  • Architect of low-level structure of COSMOS
  • Co-inventor of COSMOS multi-agent software

Dr. Miguel Nunes VP, Engineering

  • PhD in Mechanical Engineering
  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Lead Engineer for HSFL satellites
  • Co-inventor of COSMOS multi-agent software
  • Developed Multi-Agent Robotic System & Guidance, Navigation, and Control algorithms for space missions
  • Systems/Attitude Control Engineer for various SmallSat missions

Dr. Zhuoyuan Song, Research Scientist

  • PhD, Mechanical Engineering
  • Former director of Robot Autonomy and Navigation Laboratory at UH Manoa
  • Research areas: Autonomous navigation, GPS-denied localization, multi-robot systems, marine robotics
  • Principal investigator of 10+ extramurally funded research projects with >$2 million share
  • Publications in areas including robotics, control, and ocean engineering
  • Subcontractor on NASA STTR project

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Other Team Members:

  • 4 Software Developers
  • 4 Programming Interns
  • 4 Business Interns
  • 1 Engineering Intern

Other Service Contributors:

  • Accounting/Financial Firm
  • Attorney
  • University of Hawaii Office of Technology Transfer
  • Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory

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ASK & FUTURE VISION

Target Partners:

Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing

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Target Government Contracts:

NASA, NRO, NOAA, DOD, DARPA, CalFire

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Immediate Sponsor Funding Goal (NASA Will Match):

$375,000

(For NASA STTR Phase II-E)

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Successful Competitions:

NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge Finalist, U.S. Army xTechPacific Finalist

Our Mission: to develop operations capabilities for the future of aerospace exploration

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CONTACT

Dr. Trevor C. Sorensen

CEO, Interstel Technologies, Inc.

trevor.sorensen@interstel.tech

Eric Pilger

VP Technology, Interstel Technologies, Inc.

eric.pilger@interstel.tech

www.interstel.tech�

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Marina Cleavenger

Business Development, Interstel Technologies, Inc.

marina.cleavenger@interstel.tech

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