AstrAware is coordinated by Politecnico di Milano with ARCSEC as a project partner and is funded by the European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe, with an EU contribution of nearly €3 million to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of EU space infrastructure.
By sharing data and complementing each other, the sensors integrate debris detection, navigation, attitude control, and proximity operations into a single, efficient system. This enables more autonomous, precise, and reliable satellite maneuvers.
AstrAware combines innovative dynamic vision sensors, including a neuromorphic camera optimized for detecting illumination changes and an adapted star tracker functioning as a dynamic vision sensor. Together, they provide continuous optical data for both long-range detection and close-range operations.
The project responds to the growing collision risk caused by non-cooperative objects such as inactive satellites, rocket bodies, and debris fragments. By enabling reliable detection, identification, and tracking of these objects, AstrAware supports safer navigation and collision avoidance.
AstrAware is an EIC-funded project developing an on-board dynamic vision sensor suite that improves satellite self-awareness and space situational awareness. It addresses the urgent problem of increasing satellite congestion and space debris, which threatens the safety and sustainability of future space operations.
“Funded by the European Union through the European Innovation Council (EIC) within the AstrAware project (Grant agreement ID: 101221404). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council (EIC). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”