ESA’s OPS-SAT flying lab completes mission

ESA’s experimental OPS-SAT CubeSat mission came to an end during the night of 22—23 May 2024 (CEST). Launched on 18 December 2019, OPS-SAT was tasked with opening up the world of spacecraft operations to the widest possible audience. Its founding principle was to provide a fast, no-charge, non-bureaucratic experiment service for European and Canadian industry and academia.

OPS-SAT was the first fully ESA-owned and operated CubeSat. A small, low-cost, innovative and open mission was unusual for ESA mission control, which typically flies Europe’s largest and most complex spacecraft around Earth and across the Solar System. During OPS-SAT’s four and a half years in orbit, the mission went from strength to strength, allowing 134 teams from 26 different countries to execute over 284 different experiments.

“Many experiments built on top of one another, and so the satellite became even more capable as time went on,” says David Evans, OPS-SAT Space Lab Manager at ESA. “OPS-SAT was a research lab: innovations and improvements made by one experiment could often be harnessed by others. If one team worked out a better way to operate the spacecraft’s camera, the next could use that to improve their new artificial intelligence algorithm for image processing, for example.”

OPS-SAT was the first satellite open to use by the public. It hosted experiments on AI and interplanetary internet and tested new software, some of which is now already in use by much larger missions. It was the first to conduct a stock market trade in orbit; the first to demonstrate that CubeSats can provide life-saving support during search and rescue activities; the first to demonstrate an active cybersecurity attack in orbit, and much more.

OPS-SAT left a significant legacy in the space industry. Its open and collaborative approach allowed numerous teams across Europe and beyond to gain hands-on experience in spacecraft operations and test cutting-edge technologies in orbit. Many of the innovations and software developed through OPS-SAT experiments have found applications in larger missions, advancing the state of the art in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and communications.

OPS-SAT’s success paved the way for a new generation of missions following the “OPS-SAT Space Lab” model. The ESA ARTES ScyLight Strategic Programme Line has adopted this concept for the OPS-SAT VOLT mission, dedicated to testing optical and quantum communication technologies. With 50% of the mission’s time allocated to experiments coordinated by the OPS-SAT Space Lab, VOLT will continue the tradition of providing an accessible platform for industry and academia to explore new frontiers in space technology.

Other proposed missions, such as OPS-SAT ORIOLE and CYBERCUBE, also plan to incorporate the OPS-SAT Space Lab service, allowing for further experimentation and collaboration. This approach not only fosters innovation but also creates opportunities for knowledge transfer and capacity building within the space sector.

Beyond its technical achievements, OPS-SAT demonstrated the power of open collaboration and knowledge-sharing. By bridging the gap between ESA, industry, and academia, the mission facilitated cross-pollination of ideas and accelerated the development of innovative solutions. This collaborative spirit will continue to drive the OPS-SAT Space Lab service, ensuring that the legacy of OPS-SAT lives on through future missions and the advancement of space technology.