{"id":5291,"date":"2026-03-19T15:43:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T14:43:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/?p=5291"},"modified":"2026-03-19T15:43:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T14:43:04","slug":"eine-intelligente-box-fuer-alle-weltraumfaelle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/eine-intelligente-box-fuer-alle-weltraumfaelle\/","title":{"rendered":"A smart box for all space-related situations"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_5291 social_share_privacy clearfix 1.6.4 locale-en_US sprite-en_US\"><\/div><div class=\"twoclick-js\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\njQuery(document).ready(function($){if($('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_5291')){$('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_5291').socialSharePrivacy({\"services\":{\"facebook\":{\"status\":\"on\",\"txt_info\":\"2 Klicks f\\u00fcr mehr Datenschutz: Erst wenn Sie hier klicken, wird der Button aktiv und Sie k\\u00f6nnen Ihre Empfehlung an Facebook senden. Schon beim Aktivieren werden Daten an Dritte \\u00fcbertragen - siehe <em>i<\\\/em>.\",\"perma_option\":\"off\",\"action\":\"recommend\",\"language\":\"en_US\"}},\"txt_help\":\"Wenn Sie diese Felder durch einen Klick aktivieren, werden Informationen an Facebook, Twitter, Flattr, Xing, t3n, LinkedIn, Pinterest oder Google eventuell ins Ausland \\u00fcbertragen und unter Umst\\u00e4nden auch dort gespeichert. N\\u00e4heres erfahren Sie durch einen Klick auf das <em>i<\\\/em>.\",\"settings_perma\":\"Dauerhaft aktivieren und Daten\\u00fcber-tragung zustimmen:\",\"info_link\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.heise.de\\\/ct\\\/artikel\\\/2-Klicks-fuer-mehr-Datenschutz-1333879.html\",\"uri\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\\\/elektrotechnik\\\/en\\\/eine-intelligente-box-fuer-alle-weltraumfaelle\\\/\",\"post_id\":5291,\"post_title_referrer_track\":\"A+smart+box+for+all+space-related+situations\",\"display_infobox\":\"on\"});}});\n\/* ]]> *\/<\/script><\/div><p>Today, satellites perform critical tasks, such as locating hotspots, providing GPS signals, or collecting weather data. To ensure they can reliably fulfill these functions, they must be regularly adapted or expanded. This is precisely where the EU-funded \u201csmartCASE\u201d (Configurable Adaptive Spacecraft &amp; Spacecraft Extensions) project, in which researchers from RWTH Aachen University are participating, comes into play.<\/p>\n<p>The project\u2019s goal is to develop modular components that allow satellites and space systems to be expanded, modified, or reconfigured even while in operation. The concept of modularization has been pursued at RWTH for several years and is gaining additional significance through current European funding programs.<\/p>\n<p>The focus is on developing an intelligent \u201cbox,\u201d which is being realized with a funding volume of 2.5 million euros. This box can dock with existing satellites and integrate new functions. The principle can be compared to an app on a smartphone: The satellite recognizes the new application and independently expands its range of functions.<\/p>\n<p>The project is being coordinated at the Institute for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mmi.rwth-aachen.de\/en\/\">Human-Machine Interaction (MMI)<\/a> under the direction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwth-aachen.de\/cms\/root\/wir\/kontakt-anreise\/kontakt\/~bdfr\/mitarbeiter-campus-\/?gguid=PER-AXJRUGC&amp;allou=1\">Professor J\u00fcrgen Ro\u00dfmann<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/rwthcontacts.rwth-aachen.de\/person\/PER-KKUMPYW\">Dr. Ulrich Dahmen<\/a> initiated the project and assembled a team from various disciplines. In addition to the MMI,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sla.rwth-aachen.de\/cms\/~fald\/institut-fuer-strukturmechanik-und-leichtbau\/\"> the Institute for Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction (SLA)<\/a>, led by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sla.rwth-aachen.de\/cms\/institut-fuer-strukturmechanik-und-leichtbau\/der-lehrstuhl\/mitarbeiter\/lehrstuhl-leitung\/~fuve\/kai-uwe-schroeder\/?allou=1\">Professor Kai Uwe Schr\u00f6der<\/a>, is also involved. The consortium is complemented by five international industry partners.<\/p>\n<p>The tasks within the project are clearly divided. The Institute for Human-Machine Interaction (MMI) is responsible for software development, while the Institute for Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction (SLA) is developing the box\u2019s mechanical structure. The goal is to create a stable, lightweight, and space-ready solution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201csmartCASE\u201d is part of the major <a href=\"https:\/\/defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu\/space-operations-and-services-strategic-forum-2025-kicks-2025-12-16_en\">\u201cISOS\u201d (In Space Operations and Services)<\/a> mission, which aims to no longer view satellites as rigid, single-use systems, but rather as maintainable and expandable platforms. In this context, so-called satAPPs\u2014modular applications for satellites\u2014are being developed. These are intended to be connectable via a unified interface to expand, repair, or modernize satellites in space.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5292\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5292\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5292\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/files\/2026\/03\/054_smart_CASE-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/files\/2026\/03\/054_smart_CASE-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/files\/2026\/03\/054_smart_CASE-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/files\/2026\/03\/054_smart_CASE-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/files\/2026\/03\/054_smart_CASE.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-5292\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Institute for Human-Computer Interaction (MMI) at RWTH<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The foundation for this development was already laid in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mmi.rwth-aachen.de\/projekt\/twins4space\/\">\u201cTwins4Space\u201d<\/a> project, which was completed at the end of 2025. The approaches to modular software infrastructure developed there are now being continued within the framework of \u201csmartCASE.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The participants have two and a half years to implement the project. The goal is to launch the developed technology into orbit as early as 2030.<\/p>\n<p>The strategic importance of the project is also highlighted by the European Union. \u201csmartCASE\u201d bears the seal of quality from the <a href=\"https:\/\/germany.representation.ec.europa.eu\/news\/eu-geforderte-projekte-im-bereich-strategischer-technologien-erste-liste-von-projekten-mit-step-2024-12-09_de\">\u201cStrategic Technologies for Europe\u201d (STEP)<\/a> platform. This distinction is awarded to projects in the fields of clean, resource-efficient, and digital technologies. The EU considers the project a \u201chigh-quality project proposal\u201d that contributes to strengthening Europe\u2019s technological sovereignty.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, satellites perform critical tasks, such as locating hotspots, providing GPS signals, or collecting weather data. To ensure they can reliably fulfill these functions, they must be regularly adapted or [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6964,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"c2c_always_allow_admin_comments":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[606],"tags":[98,607],"class_list":["post-5291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-innovation","tag-satellite","tag-smartcase"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6964"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5291"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5295,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5291\/revisions\/5295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/elektrotechnik\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}