In the last 2 years, LMO and the University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) through its Computer Vision, Imaging and Machine Intelligence Research Group (CVI2), have been working together to bring computer vision-based autonomous technologies from ground up to space.

Why, you may ask? In the last decade, the use of space has grown exponentially, influencing our daily lives in communication, weather monitoring, localisation, and much more. To do this, we launch hundreds of satellites far from the human eye. However, once in space, satellites operate on their own – vulnerable and oblivious to the environment around them.

With this increased footprint in space, so has the amount of trash – known as space debris – and other threats towards satellites. With autonomous technology similar to that used in self-driving cars, LMO is providing the necessary tools for satellites to look around them in space and make autonomous decisions based on this information, without the need for ground segment intervention; tools that are becoming ever more critical as space becomes more congested. At the core of these autonomous tasks are computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.

For its first product, LMO is combining space sensors with novel computer vision techniques into a dedicated single payload (SSA Payload), which can process images in space and provide insights of the surrounding area of a satellite, otherwise known as In-Situ Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The SSA payload will enable satellites to autonomously survey Space Resident Objects (SRO) around them, offering key information such as: “identification, classification, feature recognition and pose estimation, critical to enable safe navigation in space.

With the SSA Payload mounted on-board civil and defence satellites, these will be able to:

• Automate collision avoidance manoeuvres
• Offer autonomous surveillance
• Autonomously inspect other objects in space
• Capture and remove space junk
• Dock with other satellites and offer in-orbit services, such as repair and refuelling
• Collaborate with other SROs for in-orbit assembly and manufacturing

Examples of applications enabled by intelligent SSA payloads (Credit ClearSpace SA & Nasa Goddard)

The increased autonomy and collaboration of satellites in space will enable the exponential growth of the in-space economy, enabling such aspirations as large space structures assemblies, deep-space logistics and planetary mining.

To achieve its goal and build from a solid foundation in computer vision expertise, LMO partnered in 2020 with the Computer Vision, Imaging and Machine Intelligence Research Group (CVI2) at SnT, headed by Professor Djamila Aouada, a department with more than 12 years of expertise in the field of computer vision and AI.

LMO and SnT Teams at SnT’s Partnership Day in 2021

The partnership has led to key advances in using computer vision for in-space autonomy, including testing of algorithms in dedicated facilities to simulate rendezvous scenarios and relative navigation, as well as testing of algorithms for image identification, classification and pose estimation in software embedded in space electronics architectures.

SnT Zero-G Facility in Kirchberg with a Oneweb Mock-up, Luxembourg

On the back of this success, LMO, together with SnT, signed a large development contract with ESA for the Development of In-Orbit servicing SSA (DIOSSA) applications. DIOSSA will allow the consortium to validate the performance of its SSA Payload in a dedicated in-orbit servicing facility developed at SnT. The programme is funded by the Luxembourg Government through an ESA Contract in the Luxembourg National Space Programme, LuxIMPULSE.

Muriel Hooghe, Senior Project Manager – Space Safety at the Luxembourg Space Agency “I had the chance to visit LMO’s experimental setup in the 0-G lab, witness the great spirit and dedication of the team and incredible teamwork with SnT. We’re looking forward to hearing about the next steps of this project and seeing it contribute to a safer space.”

Michel Poucet, CEO of LMO – “We are proud of the progress our team has made together and with SnT and are grateful for the support received from the LSA in helping us reach our ambitions of bring autonomy to space.”

Marcos Perez, CTO of LMO – “The synergy of both LMO and SnT working together is fuelled not only by sound technical expertise but also by a great enthusiasm and motivation for these enabling space applications. LSA, with its strategic vision and capacity, has created a flourishing environment to tackle these future challenges.”

Djamila Aouada, Head of CVI2, SnT – “It is extremely rewarding to witness how far our respective teams have grown together thanks to a tight collaboration. The support from LSA adds a new dimension to our ongoing joint project. It creates an exciting unique configuration that will allow us to bring our Computer Vision innovations relatively faster to real space deployment through parallel implementation on hardware, and development and testing in the Zero-G Lab at SnT.”

Björn Ottersten, Director of SnT – “The technology being developed within the partnership between LMO and SnT presents an exciting angle of research, which aims to address a pressing challenge affecting the communication infrastructures present in our Earth’s orbit. We are delighted to be working with LMO on this project, and contributing to a more sustainable future. ”With this increased footprint in space, so has the amount of trash – known as space debris – and other threats towards satellites. With autonomous technology similar to that used in self-driving cars, LMO is providing the necessary tools for satellites to look around them in space and make autonomous decisions based on this information, without the need for ground segment intervention; tools that are becoming ever more critical as space becomes more congested. At the core of these autonomous tasks are computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.”

The view expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency

With increased use of space comes increased responsibility to take care of it. How do we tackle risks which come with the ever-growing number of satellites?

To tackle this Challenge LMO, Open Cosmos and Nammo have partnered under a UK Space Agency funded program to bring to market a turn-key chemical propulsion solution to provide safe manoeuvring for the current and future space race. While it is up to governments and operators to ensure that we do not make space activity unsustainable, it is up to the whole industry to provide the necessary means to ensure it does not happen.

This is why under an ESA GSTP program LMO, Nammo and Open Cosmos aim to provide propulsion systems to enable small satellite to manoeuvre in Space rapidly and accurately for rapid orbital deployment, maintenance, collision avoidance and end-of-life de-orbiting within a matter of days.

The consortium will qualify an agile and reprogrammable chemical propulsion systems for small satellites. The program will focus on making a plug-n-play chemical for satellites from 20 to 100 kg and in-orbit servicing vehicles.

Michel Poucet – CEO of LMO “Providing novel propulsion systems for satellites to operate safely and with agility is a first step in our vision to provide the space market with the necessary tools to keep space safe and sustainable.”

Rob Selby – VP of Space for Nammo “Safety in Space and the de-orbiting of redundant spacecraft and other debris is central to our strategic objectives here at Nammo. The ‘Green’ chemical propulsion technology being advanced in conjunction with the LMO team represents a key step forward.”

Rafel Jordá Siquier – CEO, Open Cosmos, “Systems like these will enable longer missions and faster de-orbiting of small satellites, significantly enhancing mission effectiveness and mitigating the increasing problem of space debris in busy constellation orbits”

The funding provides LMO with an additional leverage to progress in its mission to ensuring sustainability and safety of the increasing number of satellites in space. In 2020, LMO established its headquarters at Technoport, the technology-oriented business incubator based in Esch-Belval, Luxembourg, and is currently pursuing with the hiring process of experienced technical engineering profiles. LMO has an established cooperation with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg, articulating the development of space-centric Artificial Intelligence. LMO’s legacy propulsion activities remain located in the United Kingdom Space Cluster in Harwell Campus.

Following the fundraise, Yves Elsen has been appointed as the chairman of the board of directors, joined by the company’s co-founders, Michel Poucet, chief executive officer, and Marcos Damian Perez, chief technology officer, and representatives of the new investor panel.

The VIVES Inter University Fund (VIVES IUF) of UCLouvain, created in 2020, is an early stage and multisectoral fund that invests in projects with a positive societal impact. Endowed with €32M capital, it has the capacity to invest at the various stages of a company’s development: seed, start-up and growth. The fund is involved in spin-offs from UCLouvain or its partner universities (KULeuven, University of Paris Diderot Descartes, University of Wageningen and University of Luxembourg) and in start-ups within reach of Louvain-la-Neuve.

“LMO brings a great knowhow and talent to Luxembourg, and we are keen to see the company continue shaping the European space cluster. We warmly welcome VIVES IUF of UCLouvain, which is naturally embedded in the tradition of Belgo-Luxembourgish cooperation.” says Yves Elsen, chairman of the Board.

Since accession to the European Space Agency in 2005, the Grand Duchy has grown its attractiveness for developments within the space industry. Comprising over 50 companies and two public research organizations, the sector enjoys healthy growth across domains – from ground, to space, to service.

“With increased activity, the number of objects in space will exponentially accumulate, increasing the risk for collision. Thanks to the close collaboration with the University of Luxembourg and the participation of VIVES IUF, LMO is able to take major steps forward in providing safe, sustainable solutions for the future”, says Michel Poucet, CEO.

“LMO is our first investment in Luxembourg. This young Luxembourgish enterprise develops highly advanced technologies to deal with one of the major challenges in space, the management of satellites during and after their mission. Managing debris in space will help reducing their environmental impact. The founders, Michel Poucet, CEO, and Marcos Damian Perez (CTO), bring each a decade of experience in the space industry. The investment of VIVES Inter-University Fund allowed to crystalize the fundraising with private investors and materialize the collaboration with the University of Luxembourg (SnT). The funds will allow LMO to fuel their commercial and technological ambitions. We are also very pleased for Yves Elsen to join the Board of Directors, his experience and knowledge of the space industry will be of great support for LMO”, says Philippe Durieux, CEO of Sopartec, the company managing the transfer of technologies and investments of UCLouvain and Managing Director of VIVES.

For more information, please contact:
Michel Poucet, CEO
m.poucet@lmo.space
+352 661 616 740

The funded projects include:

• Lift Me Off: To develop machine-learning and artificial intelligence techniques to distinguish between satellites and space junk.

“A good example of this is our partnership with Lift Me Off (LMO), where we signed an agreement earlier this year. They are involved in the maintenance and servicing of space craft. If you’re going to maneuver in space, you need to be able to do so through camera and vision systems. That’s the specific project we’re doing with LMO.”

LIFT ME OFF signed a partnership agreement with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust’s (SnT) computer visioning, imaging and machine intelligence research group, which will help develop technologies to give service vehicles intelligent visual processing.

“We are only at the start of our collaboration with Dr. Aouada’s team and the fresh perspective from outside the space sector already delivers many insights,” said Michel Poucet, CEO of LIFT ME OFF. “SnT’s international team and its decade of terrestrial computer vision experience combined with LIFT ME OFF’s space experience makes SnT a perfect partner for helping us in our mission to make space safe and sustainable.”

LIFT ME OFF signed a partnership agreement with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust’s (SnT) computer visioning, imaging and machine intelligence research group, which will help develop technologies to give service vehicles intelligent visual processing.

“We are only at the start of our collaboration with Dr. Aouada’s team and the fresh perspective from outside the space sector already delivers many insights,” said Michel Poucet, CEO of LIFT ME OFF. “SnT’s international team and its decade of terrestrial computer vision experience combined with LIFT ME OFF’s space experience makes SnT a perfect partner for helping us in our mission to make space safe and sustainable.”