News – Institute for Satellite Sensing

The Institute for Satellite Sensing sees itself as an interface for the development of quantum sensors at IKON and is intended to provide the framework for their feasibility studies and support the development of prototypes. Furthermore, a network with internal and external IKON partners in the subject areas of quantum sensors and satellite dynamics is being established. In particular, we aim to use quantum sensors in the areas of “Weather Modification” and “Aerial Firefighting”.

The development of new sensors for use on future satellite missions requires, in addition to various tests of the hardware, also the simulation of the sensor in its later operational environment. This procedure is of great importance, especially with regard to new types of quantum sensors, for which there is no long-term experience in space. Our goal is therefore to develop software that can be used to simulate a fictitious satellite mission. Here, a sensor model is to be used that is to be regarded as a placeholder or reference sensor model for sensors actually developed later. The mock data generated in this way should be made available in previously defined data formats on a data server for later data processing. Due to the modular construction of the software, a later further development will be possible. First of all, a demonstrator version of the software is to be created so that at the end the complete simulation chain for preparing the data evaluation of a satellite mission can be mapped. Later, mapped data of the earth’s gravitational field can be used to track the redistribution of water on and below the earth’s surface.