The Space Eye (SpEye) mission is a two-satellite technology demonstration designed to enable safe and cost-effective on-orbit inspection and formation flying. The mission plays a strategic role in advancing nano-satellite capabilities, particularly in autonomous navigation, guidance, and control (GNC) for proximity operations. Following the Phase A feasibility study, the mission is currently in Phase B, focusing on the preliminary design of the system and subsystems in preparation for the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The key areas of this phase include: Inspector CubeSat Preliminary Design: refinement of the structural, thermal, power, and communication architectures to meet mission constraints; Multispectral Vision-Based System: development of the focal plane assembly and onboard electronics for real-time image acquisition and processing, enabling autonomous navigation and target inspection; Navigation System: design of a sensor fusion architecture integrating GNSS, electro-optical, and inertial observations to achieve robust and precise absolute and relative navigation; Guidance and Control: trade-off analyses and development of preliminary algorithms to ensure safe and fuel-efficient maneuvering for formation keeping and proximity operations; Propulsion System Design: refinement of the propulsion architecture, thruster configuration, and performance parameters to support proximity operations and formation keeping, ensuring compatibility with mission ΔV requirements and system constraints; Mission and Operations Concept: formulation of preliminary maneuver sequences, safety constraints, and contingency strategies to ensure mission feasibility within the CubeSat platform. The SpEye mission is supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as part of the “Alcor” program and is led by TSD-Space (Techno System Developments S.r.l.) in collaboration with D-Orbit, T4i (Technology for Propulsion and Innovation), Planetek Italia, Politecnico di Milano, and Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”. This paper presents the preliminary design of the free-flying inspector satellite, detailing its key subsystems and mission-level design considerations as established through Phase B and the PDR.
Space Eye (SpEye): Preliminary Design of an On-Orbit Inspection and Formation-Flying Demonstration / Capuano, Vincenzo; Saggiomo, Fabio; Capuano, Giuseppe; Confuorto, Benito; Calvanese, Raffaele; Longobardi, Pasquale; Carbone, Mario; Vecchio, Enrico; Borelli, Giacomo; Vittoria Maria Gaia, Gabriella; Colombo, Camilla; Montanari, Brunella; Capa, Enes; Andres Castaneda, David; De Ambrosio, Carlo; Opromolla, Roberto; Nocerino, Alessia; Napolano, Giuseppe; Vela, Claudio; Palescandolo, Matteo; Grassi, Michele; Fasano, Giancarmine; Fortunato, Vito; Maria Stefano Pascali, Luca; Chirulli, Donato; Mucci Beltrami, Marco; Oliva, Stefano; La Luna, Simone; Noberasco, Caterina; Urban, Daniele; Pulcino, Vincenzo; Illiano, Simone; Votta, Raffaele; Rinaldi, Marianna. - (2025). ( 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) Sidney, Australia 29 Settembre - 3 Ottobre 2025).
Space Eye (SpEye): Preliminary Design of an On-Orbit Inspection and Formation-Flying Demonstration
Roberto Opromolla;Alessia Nocerino;Giuseppe Napolano;Claudio Vela;Matteo Palescandolo;Michele Grassi;Giancarmine Fasano;
2025
Abstract
The Space Eye (SpEye) mission is a two-satellite technology demonstration designed to enable safe and cost-effective on-orbit inspection and formation flying. The mission plays a strategic role in advancing nano-satellite capabilities, particularly in autonomous navigation, guidance, and control (GNC) for proximity operations. Following the Phase A feasibility study, the mission is currently in Phase B, focusing on the preliminary design of the system and subsystems in preparation for the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The key areas of this phase include: Inspector CubeSat Preliminary Design: refinement of the structural, thermal, power, and communication architectures to meet mission constraints; Multispectral Vision-Based System: development of the focal plane assembly and onboard electronics for real-time image acquisition and processing, enabling autonomous navigation and target inspection; Navigation System: design of a sensor fusion architecture integrating GNSS, electro-optical, and inertial observations to achieve robust and precise absolute and relative navigation; Guidance and Control: trade-off analyses and development of preliminary algorithms to ensure safe and fuel-efficient maneuvering for formation keeping and proximity operations; Propulsion System Design: refinement of the propulsion architecture, thruster configuration, and performance parameters to support proximity operations and formation keeping, ensuring compatibility with mission ΔV requirements and system constraints; Mission and Operations Concept: formulation of preliminary maneuver sequences, safety constraints, and contingency strategies to ensure mission feasibility within the CubeSat platform. The SpEye mission is supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as part of the “Alcor” program and is led by TSD-Space (Techno System Developments S.r.l.) in collaboration with D-Orbit, T4i (Technology for Propulsion and Innovation), Planetek Italia, Politecnico di Milano, and Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”. This paper presents the preliminary design of the free-flying inspector satellite, detailing its key subsystems and mission-level design considerations as established through Phase B and the PDR.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
